Page 82 - 4 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 2_Neat

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Gypsum mortar is sold by the kuruh of 100 manns is described as being so many dhircCs accordin
of 24 tcaqiyahs or 11,133 lbs. The term karah is to the sum of its sides. g
also used for date palm branches in which sense it
means 1,000 branches. The Year 1927-28.
Beams and masts are sold by the Calicut kandy The year was unfavourable for trade as there was
or 10 cubic feet 29 cubic inches : round rafters or still no trade with Xajd. Although the imports
spars bv the korjah or score and boat ribs by the and exports show higher rate than that of the last
gdrx or cart load of 40 pieces or upward according year, considerable quantity of the imported gr^xls
to 6ize. remained unsold, partly owing to unsettled (J:te
The 4-gallon kerosene oil tin is used as a measure of the country round Kuwait during the winter
of capacity for the sale of water. months, which hampered such trade with the hinter­
Of the smaller weights is the habbah, equivalent land that docs still exist: and perhaps more so
to 3 gi-ains Troy, used in the sale of gold and silver. to the increased efficiency of the Persian Preventive*
Gold is normally sold by the mithqCil ‘ altari of 18 Service which has practically stopped the smuggling
htibbahs, or 54 grains, and also by the Turkish pound of sugar and tea to the Persian Coast. Consequently
and fractions thereof. Silver is sold by the mithqdl many people left Kuwait for Bahrain, Jubail and
Shirazi of 24 habbahs, or 72 grains. Tho mithqal Qatif to seek employment: and even a few merchants
* attari and the mithqal Shirczi are also both ured transferred to Bahrain and are carrying on trade
for drugs and silk thread : but for this purpose there. The pearling season was considerably better
they are not divided into habbahs, but only into than those of the two previous years. The number
halves and quarters, the niceties of weight being of oysters was not large but the yield was fairly
arrived at by using the two mithqals and their frac­ rich. The pearl market had also improved but was
tions in conjunction. Perfumes, as also gold thread, far from good.
are sold by the tolah of 180 grains.
In the pearl trade the following weights and Imports.
measures are most commonly used in Kuwait. The total imports by sea amounted to £410,010
Wholesale purchase pf pearls from the Captains of and showed an increase of 16*52 as compared with
pearling boats arc made chiefly by size. For this the figures for 1926-27. This b accounted for by
purpose, after auy exceptionally good pearls, which the increased import of sugar and specie.
it is desired to dispose of separately, have been The import of piece-goods showed a decrease of
removed, remainder are assorted by being passed 23-67 and that of tea 71-8 over their respective
through a series of perforated brass or copper bowls, imports for the year 1926*27.
the standard set of which consists of four: the The total import trade 66-4 per cent was with
perforations of the largest, called ras are *18* in India, 15*24 per cent with ‘Iraq, 11*57 per cent
diameter; those of the second, batn •15*’, those with Persian Coast, 3*39 per cent with Arabian
of the third, dliail *13', and those of fourth, rabvah Coast, and 3*4 per cent with other countries.
•11*. After being assorted into ras, batn, etc., they
change hands at a previously arranged rate, at so
much the mithqal ‘Arabi, which is equivalent to Exports,
50 grains. The ordinary pearls then usually pass Tne totai CXp0rt by sea amounted to £219,437
from one dealer to another on the more precise and showed an increase of 22*15 as compared with
kind of estimate based upon weight. In Kuwait for 1926-27. This is accounted for by the
the Bombay mithqal equivalent to 75 grains Troy, increased known export of pearls and specie; but
and sub-divided into 24 ratis each of 15 anahs, is accurate figures for pearfr and specie can never be
usually employed. The unit in the dealers’ system obtained as these are often exported amongst
is called a chau, and, although derived from a weight, personal luggage. There was also an increase in
it is not in itself a weight. The number of chaus evp0rt of Arab Cloaks, tea, suggar, building
in a pearl is found by squaring the weight of the material, firewood and wool,
pearl in mithqals and multiplying the result by 330.
The chau is divisible into 100 dukrahs, and the dukrah Customs Administration and Lighterage.
into 100 badams. There are other kinds of chaus
also occasionally used, and obtained by an identical The administration of the Kuwait Customs is
process from other mithqals, such as the poona supervised by a local Arab and the system works
mithqal of 68} grains, satisfactorily. An import duty of four per cent
The normal unit of length is the dhiraH or cubit ad valorem is charged, and there is export duty
of 19*, but for rope, which is also sold by the weight, except on goods brought in from the interior, so
the bdy or fathom is usually employed. There is as clarified butter, hides, wool, etc., on which four
po square measure in use i and a plot of ground per cent is charged', if exported.