Page 369 - 3 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 1_Neat

REPORT

OK TIIE

TRADE OF KUWAIT

for the year 1920-21 (1st April 1920 to 31sfc March 1921) By Major J. C.
More, D.S-0., Political Agent, Kuwait

Introduction. inorca=e of 6VG per cent, chiefly in specie, riee,
wheat and coffee, whi U can he accounted f«*r bv
Theyear under review was unfavourable for the fact that the lan 1 routes were vl wed thi«-u^l>-
trade, owing to the strained relations which j out the gr* ater part of the y-.ar, which resulted
existed 1 •'•tween the Shaikh of Kuwait and the j in larger re-exports by sea than usual.
Ruler of Najd, as a result of which all trade with j 77*3 per cent, vf the import trtde was with
Central Arabia w..s entirely suspended throughout Illtlia> iq-j percent, with -Ir.i j. 5*1 rarecut. with
the greater part of (he year, and a feeling of Persia, 2 per tent, with Arab .va-r. a:id the
gseat in.-vonrity existed in Kuwait town itself, > balance with America and Japan. Of the ••xpoit
which was not conducive to commercial enterprise. I trade 35'S percent, was with Persia, 23*G per
Peace was re-Csta.dished with Xajd in March, j cent, with ;I:*a«j. 24'9 jier cent, with India and
but there was not time for its effect to be appro- 10*7 per cent.'with Arab coast. The export
c:ably felt before the close of the year. The , percentage for Persia was much above the
pearling season, on which the prosperity of a ! average, doublle=s owing to the de:i .c::c to that
l.trge number of the inhabitants of Kuwait J country of a considerable amount ox Lpo*:-ds which
depends, was not a successful one, the number of j would,’nonnallv, have f-und th-.ir “wav to Cen-
Kuwait 1,-ats visiting the fishery was small, and, J tral .\rabia. Details of imports and extorts arc
cwini; l«» the state of insecurity mentioned above, given in tables 41 B •** and ' C
the licet was not allowed to go so far afield as
usual, consequently the catch was small. In Custom administration and Lighterage,
addition to this the prices realised for pearls were rp, ..... f - . r.
n-.tbi«h. The figures given in Table " II” are . Tb' K'«a« Coilom,
no real criterion of the pearls exported, as ,s s«P-rv,=?J '■? ? !«»' Arab, and .Le system
compared with other years as they inly show ww.ki An import duty <f 4 per
those exported l.y steamer, no figures being "rZ .r«« is charged, and there .* n, «-
ayailablc for the large number exported by sailing Port du‘-v> “"P1 oa, 8?.^? b™=Sbt in from tbe
craft, or for those taken in the personal luggage I,nKr,or- ’!,c.h ,as clar>fi?d butter, hides, vy.-J,
of passengers by steamer. ' etcx, on ubich 1 per cent, is charged ,f exports
x D J The arrangements for lightering and landing
cargo at Kuwait are superior to thoie at any
Import-Export.
other port in the Persian Gulf.
Tbe total imports by sea amounted to
£634,2GS, and the exports to £ 1-10,39the former Freight, shipping and navigation.
showing a decrease of 40-23 per cent, as compar­ Kuwait owns about 200 sailing l oats encaged
ed with 1919-f.O, chicfiy accounted for by the in the carrying trade, as distinct from pearling
.reduced amount of piece goods imported, which and fishing boats, of these GO have a carrying
valued only /»J0,717 as compared vrith £384,278. capaoity of over 100 tons, including S of over
The sea exports, on the other hand, 6ho\v an 30U tons and 20 of over 230 tons.