Page 245 - 4 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 2_Neat

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pass from one dealer to another on the more precise Export*.
kind of estimate based upon weight. In Kuwait The total exports by sea amounted to Rs. 15,95,927
tho Bombay mitbqil cqurialcnt to 75 grains Troy and showed a decrease of 45-9 per cent, compared
and sub-divided ic:o 21 rattes each of 15 anahs with the figures for 1930-31. This is accounted
is usually employed. Tin unit in the dealers* for by the known decreased oxj-ort of clarified butter,
system is called a chau an! although derived from building n.itcriah and pearls. Pearls of the aggre­
a weight it is not in itself a weight. The number gate amount of Its. 3,02,000 arc also shown ia the
of chaus in a pearl is founl by squaring the weight tables aa laving b(»n export eel for sa3o to Iadian
of tL-^pe;arl in mithqals and multiplying the result markets, accurate figures of these as well as .specie
by W>. The ebau is divisible in'o 100 dukras
and the dukra into 100 ladams. There arc other can ncv«ir be obtained, as both arc nearly a [way a
carried away amongst personnel luggage.
kinds of chaus aUo occasionally used, and obtained
by an identical process torn other mithqals such Of the total export trade 55-4 per cent, was with
as the Poona uutLqal of GS grains. Tho normal India 27*5 per cent, with Arab Coast, 14 per cent,
unit of length is the dhira or cubit of 19 inches but with Iraq tnd 3-1 per cent, with Persian Coast.
for rope which is also soil by the weight, the ba
or fathom is usually empkyed. There is no square Pearl Fishing.
measure in use, ai l a pht of ground is described This is the most important trade of Kuwait.
as being so many dhiras according to the sum of The town possesses over 700 pearl beats but many
its sides. o: these have not b'-en to sea for some-time due to
the depressed state of the pearl trade. The average
The Year 1931-32. number of boats which of recent year* visited the
banks is not more than 350 and tria figure has
This year also wa* not a favourable one for trade
and this was nuiny due to there being no trade decreased « the market was worse than last year.
with NejeL Cons-ecucntly many petty shopkeepers The Kuwait fisliiLg fleet con.vsts of t" o part* the
have left for Bahrain, Jzbn.il and Qatif to seek small boats which fi.-h of! the Nmifrd zone. S idah
employment. The Pearl - Catch ” on the whole and Huzuu areas to the South of Kuwait and the
was not good and the pear! market remained *0 low larger boats '.nth G to 8 “ v eeps M on either side
that good, pearls could le purebas-d for 5:f per which go farther afield and join up wnh the Bahrain
cent, less than previous years. It was however and Qatar fleets. The Kuwait main 'pearling
fleet works under the eye of an Amir al Bahar, or
expected chat on the advtnt of sonm of the well- Admiral ard no boat is allowed to return home
known pearl merchtnts thst the local market would
improve and prices of pearls would rise but unfor­ without sanction. The “ Rckbah ” Ls the name
tunately do tangible increase took place and the given to the commencement of the Pearl sea-on
and the “ Guflul ” to the end when aZl boats return
financial condition of the pearl merchants became
so acute that although they had safes full of pearls home. Th* season falls somewhere between 15th
most of the merchants were not only unable to pay May and 15th September.
their large debts but were not in a position to pay
even the small wages do; to the pearling crew. Custom* administration and Lighterage.
According to tho Custons export figures some The adninintration of the Kuwait Custom* is
Rs. 3,62,0,'>0 worth of pearis were estimated to have
been exported for sale in Iidia and elsewhere. But supervised by a locaJ Arab and the system works
satisfactorily. An import duty of / per cevL. ad
this figure as explained under “ Exports ” cannot valorem is charged and there is no export duty
be relied on in any way.
except on goods broaght in from the interior such
as clarified butter, hides, wool, etc, on which 4
Imports. per cent, is charged if exported.
The total import* by sea amounted to 30,49,898
and showed a decrease of 27*9 per cent, as com­ Freight, Shipping and Navigation.
pared with the figures for 1930-31. This decrease Kuwait owns about 291 sailing vessels engaged
can be explained by the fact that daring the year in carrying trade as distinct from pearling and
His Majescy King Abdul Aziz al Saud, Ruhr of fishing boat*. These include 80 having a capacity
Nejd and Ilcjaz, continued to obsep'e his strict of over 300 tons, 21 of over 230 tons and 67 of 100
blockade against trade from Kuwait with the hinter­ tons. Forty-eight beats were employed constantly
land, and there was no ap^areut recovery in world in bringing drinking water to the town from SBxait
trade. Of the total import trade 53-9 per cent, al Arab. On an average 8 such boat* arrive daily
was with India, 22 1 per cent, with Iraq, 12-7 per and bring 8),000 gallons of water (worth R*. 465)
cent, with Persian Coast, 3-8 per cent, with Arabian to the town. The British Indian Steam Naviga­
Coast and 7*5 per cent, whh other countries. tion Company, Limited maintain a weekly service

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