Page 162 - 4 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 2_Neat

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flour Rosanthal and one or two others, it was fish off the Neutral Zone, S’udah and Huzum areas
expected that the local market would improve and to the South of Kuwait, and the larcer boats with
prices of pearls would rise, but unfortunately no 6 to 8 “Sweepson either side, which go further
tangible increase took place, and the financial afield and join up with the Bahrain and Qatar
condition of pearl merchants became so acute that fleets.
although they had safes full of pearls, they were The Kuwait main pearling fleet works under the
not in a position to pay wages to pearling crews. eve of a Amir al Bahr, or admiral and no boat is
To case the situation the Shaikh of Kuwait had to allowed to return home without sanction.
take drastic measures and forced merchants to
sell property and lands often at a loss so as to find The “ Rukbah ” is the name given to the com­
money. According to the Customs export figures mencement of the pearl season, aud the 44 Gulfal ”
some £30,000 worth of pearls were estimated to to the end when all boats return home. The season
hayc been exported for sale in India and elsewhere. falls somewhere between 15th May and 15th Sep­
But this figure, as explained below, cannot be re­ tember.
lied on.
Customs Administration and Lighterage.
Import*. The Administration of the Kuwait Customs is
The total imports by sea amounted to £371.825, supervised by a local Arab and the system works
and showed an increase of 7*37 per cent, as com­ satisfactorily. An Import duty of 4 |>cr cent, ad
pared with the figures for 1928-29. This increase valorem is charged, and there is no Export duty
can Ik* explained bv the fact that Bin Saud allowed except on goods brought in from the interior, such
several thousands of starving rebels to come into as clarified butter, bides, wool, etc., on which 4
Kuwait and replenish supplies after the rebellion per cent, is charged if exported.
mentioned in the previous paragraph, was finally The arrangements for lightering and landing
crushed. cargo at Kuwait are believed to be superior to those
Of the total imports trade 52-02 per cent, was at any other port in the Persian Gulf.
with India, 17*92 per cent, with Iraq, 18*18 per
Cf*nt. with Persian Coast, 6-9 per cent, with Arabian Freight, Shipping and Navigation.
Coast aud 4-93 per cent, with other countries. Kuwait owns about 276 sailing vessels engaged
in carrying trade as distinct from pearling and
Exports. fishing boats. These include 80 having a capacity
of over 300 tons, 21 of over 230 tons and G4 of 1W>
The total exports by sea amounted to £182,900 tons.
; nd showed a decrease of S*7S per cent, compared
v.'ith the figures for 1928-29. This is accounted for Forty seven boats were employed constantly
by the known decreased export of loaf sugar and in bringing drinking water to the town from Shait-
pearls. Also pearls of the aggregate amount of al-Arab. On an average eight such boats arrive
i'00,000 are shown in the tables as having been ex­ daily and bring 80,000 gallons of water (worth £53)
ported for sale to Indian markets, accurate figures to the town.
for these as well as specie can never be obtained, as The British India Steam Navigation Company,
both are nearly always exported amongst personal Ltd., maintain a weekly service from India and a
luggage. fortnightly service to India.
Of the total export trade 39-3 per cent, was with The steamers owned and chartered by (1)
India, 24*34 percent, with Arab Coast, 13-27 percent, The Hansa Steamship Company of Bremen, Ger­
with Iraq, 21-97 per cent, with Persian Coast and many and (2) The Strick and Ellerman and Bucknal
1-12 per cent, with other countries. Lines of London also called during the year under
report, but their service has not been a regular
one.
Pearl Fishing.
The rate of freight by the British India Si earn
This is the most, important trade of Kuwait. Navigation Company’s steamers was £1-0-0 from
The Town possesses over 700 pearl boats, but many Bombay and Karachi to Kuwait and from Kuwait
of these have not been to sea for some time due to to Bombay and Karachi was £1-13-4 per ton res­
the depressed state of the pearl trade. The average pectively throughout the year.
number of boats which of recent years visited the
banks is not more than 400, and this figure is likely Communication*.
to decrease in the coming year unless the market
shows signs of improvement. The Kuwait fishing Kuwait possesses a combined Post and Tele­
fleet consists of two parts, the small boats which graph Office worked by the Posts and Telegraph*