Page 244 - 4 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 2_Neat

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consists of reading nod memorising the Quran. for weighing all commodities for which
The American Minion School gives the best educa­ there is not a special measure.
tion in Kuwait, hut its members do not exceed 30. (2) The Mam of 30 waqiyalis or 139 lb?. 3-94
English is one of the principal subjects taught. 07.8. » used for wheat, barley, Iraq
(;j\ A<'n>ii>i±lra* —Kuwait was founded about rice aad firewood.
the beriming of the li'th century liv some settlers (3) The Mam of 12 waqiyahs or 55 lbs. 10*64
of the * Vtub " a sept of the Ar.azzali tribe, over ozs. is u>cd for sail cloth only.
whom tl.c Suhah family enjoyed predominance.
It is ur.::ecc*'u:v to consider the early history. (4) The Main of 24 vaqiyahs or 111 Ibw,»*28
Suffice t** say ; ii.-.t in May lSi1') Shaikh Mubarak ozs. i« used for clarified butter, fa Strait
Wcaxnc Ruler of Kuwait on the cs.-assinntion of his and gypsum mortar.
brother. It wa- he who raided Kuwait from a (5) The Morn of 30 waqiyahs or 16G lbs. 15*92
place of little sti.portarice to a flourishing princi­ ozs. L used for wheat and barley when
pality. Under Lis strong rule it became a most imported from Basrah. 20 Manns of
attractive place to live in to the Arab mind and the the la-t named variety or approximately
population of il- Town neatly doubled itself. The 3,310 lb-, make one Taqar.
present Shaikh Kk** his predecessors rules personally Firewood is normally sold by the Rafa of 4 3Iann6
and as far ns j-o?s;blc a\ oids delegation of his autho- 0f 30 waqiyahs o: 55G lbs. JO 4 ozs.
rity. He however has a Qnulii or Chief Judge Gvpsuia mortarsold by the Karsh of J03 Manns
who tries all crinJnol <a*cs as well as those con­ of 24 waqiyalis or 11.133 lbs. Tic term Karah
nected with marriage, divorce ar.d inheritance and
a deputy in the shape of Shaikh Abdullah al-Jabir is also u.-:d for *!a”e palm branches in which sense
it mean.* 1.000 lranches.
a relathe who deals with all tribal ca.-cs outside
the town and p-ettv uuigisterial cases in the Citv. Beams and mw- are sold by the Calicut Kandy
The ll-Jrr him- If gives audience to all and sundry or 10 cubic fee: -9 cubic* inches. ^ Round rafters
for one or two L'-urs dcilv in the market place anil or spars iy the Korjali or score and :oat rib? bv the
there decides important cases and appeals by direct Gari or cart loac cf 40 pieces or upward according
judgment. Should a commercial di.-nutc come to size.
before him. be refers it for enquiry and decision The 4-gallon kerosene oif tin is used as a measure
to a standing council oi leading merchants. of capacity for the -ale of water.
C"rr<?cy.—Kuwait has no currency of its own. Of the smaller weights :s the habbali equivalent
Indian rupees and smaller corns are used in the to 3 grains Troy u.-ed in the sale of gold and silver,
town ar.d accounts arc kept in the Indian Currency Gold i* normally sold by the mitbqal. ’attari of 18
hut Ma::a Theresa DoLar* are used for all dealings habbahsor 54 gnir.s and also by the Turkish ;>ound
with the desert. Tlie value of Maria Theresa Dollars and fractions thereof. Silver is sold by the nrithqal
averaged Rs. 71-10-0 per 10*J dollars during the Shirazzi of 24 bibbahs or 72 grains. The mithqal
period under rexitw. Attari and the mithqal SLirazzi are also us*d for
X.B.—The av-raac local Rupee—Sterling ex dunce during drugs and silk tire-ad but for this purpose they are
the period under review w*e Us. 13-8-0 per pound. not divided into habbahs but only into halves and
quarters, the nxe ties of weight being arrived at
Wcrgitjt ai<d measure*.—The ordinary unit of using the two nJtbqals ar-d their fractions in con­
weight is the waqiyah of which there arc three kinds : junction. Perfumes as aL*o gold thread are sold
one of 4 lbs. 10*22 ozs.: another of 4 lbs. 15*168 ozs. by the tolah of 160 grains.
and a third of 9 lbs. 4*44 oz?.: being respectively
the weight of 75. 80 and 150 Maria Theresa Dollars In the pearl trade the following weights and
on which coin the waqiyah is based. The waqiyah measures are zuo-=t commonly used in Kuwait.
of 4 lbs. 15*168 ozs. is ocjy used by the local Customs "Wholesale purchase of p^.-arls from the Captains
for imports from the d-esert and that of 9 lbs. 4*44 of the pearhng boats are made chiefly by size. For
,
,
,.
„
.
ozs. onjy for tbe rale of fch and beyond this mention “?? eiteptionaoy good pearl,
of them no further notice will be taken of them *luch desirous to d.spcee of nnteljr have been
here. The waoiv.h of 4 lbs. 10-22 ors. is used remainder are aborted by be.ng passed
by the local Cultoms for the sea import-s and is ,brouBh ‘ ef perforated brass or copper bowls,
universally tt>«f in the town. A larger weight *he 6.,<1D“'d «' wb,ch of fouf j.,b« V?'
is the Mann of which there are five distinct varieties ,orl,'c-s1 ,h? ar£cst "“f1 rM *r.e '}*
.11 based on the waqiyai. of 4 lbs. 10-22 ors. nr..— ,*r'’L*fe “t?nd U‘n- •“ *f,°* of'h.'
^ J third dLiil *13 and those of the fourth rabi ah
(1) The Mann of 27 waqiyaha, or 125 lbs. *11#. AJ:er being assorted into raa, batn., efcc.f
3*94 oz*. is the local Customs measure they change hands at a previously arranged rate
for weighing goods for assessment of at so nmih the mitbqal ’Arabi which is eqaix'alent
duty. It is also used in the town to 50 grains. The ordinary pea/U then usually