Page 435 - 3 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 1_Neat

REPORT ON THE TRADE OF KUWAIT FOR
THE YEAR 1922-23

The Principality of Kuwait and its inhabitants, of the Maria Theresa dollars averaged Rs. 179-6-5
per 100 for the period under reference.
The frontier line of Kuwait is as follows :— Tho conversion of tho tndc fi/urcs in this Report is
Starting from the southern portion of Has al- made at the ralo of Rs. 15 per £ throughout.
Qulai'ah (!2 miles from Kuwait), with the town an
centre it describes an arc towards the west until
it intersects 20^“ Latitude, and from this point Weights and Measures,
runs in a straight line to tlie Matin, opposite tho The ordinary unit of weight is the Waqiyah,
junction of the Wadi al-’Aujali with the Batin, of which there are three kinds; viz., one of 4 lb«.
The line then runs northward along the Batin to a 10’22 oz., another of 4 lbs. 15-163 or., and a third of
point just south of the latitude of .Safwan ; then 9 lbs. IT4 oz. being respectively the weight of 75,
eastwards, passing just south of Jabal San am, 80 and 150 Maria Theresa Dollars on which coin
Safwfin and Unim Qasr, and so on to the junction of the Waqiyah is based. The Waqiyah of 4 lbs. 15-lCS
the Khaur az-Zubair with the Kliaur ’Aldullah. oz. is only used by the local Customs for imports
The territory enclosed within this lino and the Persian from the desert and that of 9 lbs. 4*11 oz. only for
Gulf, together with the island of Warbah, Rubiyan, the sale of fish, and beyond this mention of them
Moskan, Failckah, ’Auhah, Kubbar and Umm al- no further notice will be taken of them here. The
Maradim, is recognized as belonging to Kuwait. Waqiyah of 4 lbs. 10 22 oz. is used by tbe local
The tract of country bounded on the north by the Customs for sea imports, and is universally used in
southern portion of the Kuwait frontier as described the town. A larger weight is the maim, of which
above, on the cast by the sea, on (he west by the there arc 6ix distinct varieties, all Lasod on the
Shaqq, and on the south by a straight line running Waqiyah of 4 Iba 10 22 oz., mz.—
due cast from the Shaqq through ’Ain al-’Abd to the 1. The maun of 27 Waqiyahs or 125 lbs. 3-94
sea north of Ras al-Mish’ab, is recognized as common oz., this is the local Government's measure
to the two states of Najd and Kuwait, in which both for weighing goods for assessment of
enjoy equal rights. duty ; it is also used in the town foi
The capital itself has a population of a little over weighing all commodities for which there
00,000 souls of whom the great majority are Arabs. is not a special measure.
The Persian community, however, lias greatly 2. The maun of 30 Waqiyahs or 139 lbs. 2-6 oz.,
increased in recent years and now consists of about used for wheat, barley, ’Iraq rice and
10,000 souls. There are over 4,000 Negroes and a firewood.
few Jews and two or three houses of Chaldean Chris­ 3. The maim of 12 Waqiyahs or 55 lbs. 1064 oz.,
tians from 'Iraq. Outside the capital the inhabitants used for sail cloth only.
of the principality are all Arabs and arc mostly 4. The maim of 24 Waqiyah* or 111 lbs. 5*28 oz.,
nomads; the only permanently settled villages used for clarified butter, fat, salt and
being Jahrah, which is situated near the foot of the gypsum mortar.
Kuwait Bay, about two miles inland, and distant 5. The maim of 48 Waqiyahs or 222 lbs. 10-56
twenty miles by road from Kuwait town, and having oz., used for sugar only.
a population of about 500 souls ; Zor, with a similar 6. The maim of 30 Waqiyahs or 1GG lbs. 15-92
population of the island of Failakah at the entrance oz., used for wheat and barley when
to Kuwait Bay ; and the smaller villages of Hawaii, imported from Basrah.
Dininah, Fantas, Abu Hulaifah, Fuliaibil and Shu’ai-
bab all to the south and south-east of Kuwait. 20 mans of the last-named variety, or approximate­
ly 3,310 lbs., make one lagfiar.
Firewood is normally sold by the raja’ of 1 manns
of 30 Waqiyahs or 5,556 lbs. 1QT oz.
Currency.
Gypsum mortar is sold by the kdrah of 100 manns
Kuwait has no currency of her own. Indian of 24 Waqiyahs or 11,133 lba. The term kdrak
rupees and smaller coins—particularly copper pice— is also used for date palm branches in which sense it
are chiefly used in the town, and accounts arc now means 1,000 branches.
kept in Indian currency ; but Maria Theresa dollars Beams and ma ts are sold by the Calicut handy
arc used lor all dealings with the desert. The value or 10 cubit feet 29 cubic inches ; round rafters or