Page 170 - 5 Persian Trade rep BUSHIRE I_Neat

8 BUSUIUK.

Shipping.—As was only to be expected, with such bad trade
conditions prevailing in the interior and tlie lack of cargo in Meso­
potamia, there was a falling-oil of 14,091 tons from 259,730 tons in
1907-08 to 245,139 tons in the tonnage of shipping entering the port
in 1908-09 ; even with a reduced number of sailings it became difficult
to find full cargoes in the Gulf, and several vessels were forced to go
down to India to load. On the other hand, about August difficulty
arose through no sliip homeward-bound for London calling for over
a month, though 400 chests of opium and 300 tons of general cargo
were ready.
Twelve vessels of the Hamburg-Amerika Line called at the port,
but relied principally on sugar and kerosene for their cargoes.
For the greater part of the year considerable friction occurred
between the British shipping companies and the Persian customs
owing to the desire of the latter to enforce obnoxious regulations on
shipping, which tended to infringe upon the principle of the companies
to disown responsibility for the transport of cargo from ship to shore.
Especially in the case of transhipment from one Persian port to another
the companies have legitimate reasons for protesting against attempts
on the part of the custon^s to hold them responsible for transport of
goods intact from one customs port to another, since at nearly all
Persian ports in the Gulf several miles of lighterage (with many oppor­
tunities for pilferage) intervene between the ship and shore.
It is typical of the Persian customs administration that, in their
endeavour to prevent contraband, such hampering restrictions should
be placed on the steamer companies, when smuggling of amis, ammu­
nition. tea. spices, dyes, »fec., in native craft continues to be so rife.
As a result, three British shipping companies have decided to carry
out transhipment operations in the Gulf at non-Persian ports only.
Freights.—There was little cargo offering beyond opium.
General cargo export freights to London by British lines rose
from 15s. per scale ton in March, 1908, to 17s. Gi. in June, at which
it remained till the end of the year. Freight fell again in January,
1909, to 15*., and remained at about that figure till March-
Freight bv the German steamer line to Hamburg went as low as
12*. 6d.
The following table gives the comparative average rates for the
past five years :—
Freight per
40 Cubic Feet.
£ m. d. £ a. <L
1904 .- 1 7 6 to 1 10 0
1905 ... 1 10 0
1906- 07 1 10 0 10 0
1907- 08 1 0 0 0 15 0
1908- 09 0 15 0 0 17 6

The rate of 1Z. per chest for opium was maintained throughout
the year.
The rate for general export cargo to India was similarly main­
tained from the previous year at 10 rs. per scale ton, except for a short
rise during November and December, 1908, to 12 is.