Page 222 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 6 -10

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288 SULTANATE OF KOWEIT

goods for Shaqrah, Mojma' and Riyadh, 5 riyals (10s.) per maund
(12H lb.) ; goods for Ha’il, 7 riyals (14,s.) per maund (121.4 lb).
The rates for cases of tea, haberdashery, &c., were 50 % higher.

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Currency

Transactions are now generally carried on in Indian rupees, but
for some commodities the merchants retain the old Maria Theresa
dollar or riycil; the Bedouins also, conservative in matters of ex­
change, prefer payment in the dollar, and the coin is thus necessary
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for the purchase of camels or other live-stock of which the nomadic
Arabs dispose. A few years ago Sheikh Mubarak, father of the
present Sultan, introduced the nickel 1-anna piece, which imme­
diately proved popular as small change, In 1910 he fixed the
value of the riycil at 85 Indian pice, the equivalent of $100 being
Rs. 132.S125; in 1909 he had decreed that the exchange for the
rupee should not fall below 64 pice. During the twelve months
from April 1913 to March 1914 the exchange value of 100 riyals
fluctuated between £9 13s. 4d., at the beginning of the period, to
£10 6s. in September, closing at £9 18s; The Turkish lira was
exchanged at an average rate of 18s. 2d.

Weights and Measures
a. Weights used in wholesale trade :
lb. oz. dr.
1 Waqlyah 4 14 3
For wool :
1 Qiyiis = 6 waqlyahs =29 5 04
For twist and sailcloth :
1 Mann = 12 waqlyahs 58 10 1
For ghi, tallow, and mortar :
1 Mann = 24 waqlyahs =117 4 2
For dates and cereals :
1 Mann = 30 (retail) waqlyahs = 138 13 11
For most other commodities :
1 Mann = 27 waqlyahs = 137 14 10

b. Weights used in retail trade :
1 Waqlyah
= 4 10 1
1 Mann = 30 waqlyahs =1138 13 8

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