Page 23 - 3 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 1_Neat

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No. 217, dated Koweifc, the 4tli (received 18th) May 1003.
From—Major 8. G. Kxor, I.A., Political Agent, Koweit,
To—S. II. Butler, E'q., C.I.E., Officiating Secretary to tho Government of India
in tho Foreign Department, Simla*
I have tho honour to submit, herewith, the Trade Report for Koweit for*
the year 19Q7-0S, together with tho returns sliowiug tho statistics of trado for
the same period.

Trade Report for Koiccil for the year 1907-1908.
The total value of the trade for tho year 1907-1903 amounts to Rs. 75,57,107
us against Rs. 81,19,149 of the provious year, showing a net decrease of
Rs. 5,61,742. While exports have exceeded the returns of last year by Rs.
5,39,771 imports show a decrease of Us. 11,01,513. The chief reason for this
is the great fall in prices in the pearl market which has told very severely on
the purchasing power of Koweit. This disaster lias not yet had time to show
its full effect and everything points to 100S-09 as a very bad year for all
classes in Koweit
Tho imports have amounted to Rs. 53,95,660 as against Rs. 61,97,173 *of
the previous year, shewing a net fallingolf, as noted above, of Rs. 11,01,513.
Of this Rs. 5,95,948 are in the impolls by the British India steamers and
Rs. 5,05,565 in bungalow imports, 'lhe imports by British Iudia steamers
show a net falling off of Rs. 5,95,918, and local borne bnggalow trade has
suffered to the extent of Rs. 5,05,065. The imports by tho British India
vessels amouuted to Rs. 24,25,300 and by buggalow Rs. 29,70,3GO.
On tbc other baud, the exports amount to Rs. 21,61,747, showing a very
respectable increase,’over the previous year’s returns, of Rs. 5,39,771. Several
of the items under buggalow traffic, which appear iu this year’s returns, did not
appear in those of the previous year, as our opportunities of accurately gauging
the local trade increase with our kuowledge of the people and local trade
conditions.
It must always he romembered that the local borne buggalow trade is
merely tlie roughest possible estimate, as no reliable returns of this trade are
procurable.
The exports by the British India steamers show an appreciable increase of
Rs. 2,12,319 and in local borne traffic of its. 3,27,422.
There is a marked decrease of 11 lacs imports principally accounted for
by the following items:—
Arms and ammunition ... 6 lacs.
Coffee • •• - U „
Piece-goods • •• - * *
Indian rioe • •• ... 1 lac.
Specie (Indian) 1 „ =11 lacs.

The decrease in arms and ammunition is due partly to increased vigilance
on the part of the steamer authorities by whom the import of arms and ammu­
nition by steamer is discouraged, and also to the fall in the price of rifles which
has been affected by the fall in silver. It is difficult for the arms seller, who
pays for his merchandize in rupees at Alaskat, to persuade the local Bedouin
or Nejdi purchaser that the dollar has fallen in value and that merchandize
worth § 100 in lu07 is now worth § 135, aud the general result is a failure
to anive at a compromise.
The decrease in coffee is due to the purchases coming late this year, and
for this reason being shut out of the year’s returns.
The decrease in piece-goods is almost entirely in Americans, and business
men arc holding up their stock and not buying for precisely the same reason as
has been detailed above in the c»so of aims and ammunition—lowered prices
consequent on the fall in value of the dollar. Tho piece-goods, which this veac
are described as Manchester, were last year placed under the Bombay heading.