'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1915-1919' [‎112v] (231/396)

52 ANNUAL RE L' OUT OF THE PERSIAN GULF The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. POLITICAL RESIDENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
from the interior, one of the results of the war. The town and bazaar were
kept clean, and the climate has been mild and healthy.
Lieutenant 0. C. Kelly, I.S.M.D., held the post of Quarantine Medical
Officer. Thirteen British India Steam
■ Q ua:a " tme - Navigation Company's Steamers and ten
Persian Steam Navigation Company's called at the port. Ali were out of
quarantine. No cases of bubonic plague occurred in town.
These offices have been very efficiently conducted and are' showing pros
perous returns and have been ereatlv
Post and Telegraphs. appreciated by the public. y
The returns for the year under report show—
Ordinary Parcels *. . . . . • .4,190
V. P. Parcels 2,311
Money Orders ..... . « 4,529
Total value of Money Orders—Rs. 10,30,715.
Number of telegrams—11,851. Value Rs. 16,760.
The rate of exchange between dollars and rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. showed a continuous
appreciation of the local coinage, a cul
minating point being reached in the
period from July to October when it was Rs. 290 per 100$
The rates in December 1917 were : —
As compared with
last year.
Maria Theresa Dollar—290 per 100 . . . =15i per 100.
Turkish Lira Rs. 16-2-0 per Lira . . =Hs. 15-15.
English sovereirrn Rs. 17-6 per £ . . = Rs 16-12-6.
English Bank notes were not favourably received, J percent, being charged
in exchange for silver. '
About 400 boats only left for the pearl banks, the small number being due
Pearl Fishery. chiefly to the paucity of crews toman 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
them, many having migrated to Basrah
m search of more regular employment there.
Hie haul was a profitable one, valued at about 20 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and most of it was
sent to India for disposal.
Excellency the Shaikh receives one per cent, on the season's catch.
The prices have not been as good as in pre-war days, but show an improvement
on last year and were averagely good.
The local customs has been well managed and the lighterage arrangements
Customs. vogue are the best in the Gulf. Ves-
„ , . . sels are delayed as little as possible, every
facility being given by the Shaikh.
On the accession of the Shaikh an import duty of 4 per cent, was levied on
all commodities. Formerly 4 per cent, was exacted on everything except gold
ace and tobacco, which was paid 10 per cent. At the same time export duty
was abolished, except on goods brought in from the interior, such as wool,
gnee. hides, etc., which continued subject to 4 per cent, duty it exported. His
Excellency The Shaikh takes a great interest in this Department which is the
source of his income.
In two blanches of their work in which the administration is concerned,
The Arabian Mission. viz -> . m edical avd educational, the
, . . American Mission has done splendid
work m the past year. The Rev. and Mrs. (Doctor) Calverley returned from
tie United States and took up the Women's medical and educational depart
ments with great energy, while Dr. Stanley Mvlrea has been in charge of the
tine hospital throughout the year. Dr. Mylrea's services were requisitioned
both by the late Jabir and his brother Nasir, who both died rather suddenly
fining e year. Most of the men of influence in Kuwait make use of the
Mission doctors and it is no exaggeration to say that the mission has proved
111 thl8 res P ect a godsend to this town. The school has turned out some