'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. II. 1917' [‎387] (398/542)

(rn)
BASRA 887
Persia also. Under the Caliphates Basra was a clearing-house where
traders from Africa, India, and the Far East met to transact business
with the Moslem world and with Europe. The importance of Basra
began to decline with the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope, and
became still less when the Suez Canal was opened. At the present
time it shows signs of recovery, although it was adversely affected
by the political and economic crisis through which Turkey passed in
1913, aggravated by severe agricultural depression consequent on the
poor grain crops of that year.
In 1911 the total value of imports into the port of Basra was
£2855 677, that of exports £2,525,847. In 1912 imports were
valued at £2,637,809, and exports at £3,246,560. In 1913 the value
of imports was £3,899,273, that of exports £1,939,259, In these
figures is included the value of goods imported to or exported from
Baghdad by way of Basra.
It will b© sggii thcit in 1911 tliGrG wcis till gxcgss of impoits ovgi
exports of about £330,000 ; in 1912, an gxcgss of Gxports ovor imports
of about <£608,000 ; and in 1913, owing to tho failuro of tho CGroal
crops and to the largG imports in connGxion with tho Baghdad Kail-
way, an gxcgss of imports oyor Gxports of about £1,960,000.
Tho principal imports were cotton goods, woollon cloths, loaf and
crystal sugar, date-box wood and planks, yarn and twist, machinory,
coffee and tea, copper, iron and stGGl (for the Baghdad Railway),
petroleum, gunnies. In 1913, whon tho rico crop failed, much rice
was imported from India.
The principal exports were dates, cereals (barley, wheat, and rice:
very variable), seeds, wool, ghi, liquorice, opium (from Persia), gall-
nuts (from Kurdistan), hides and skins, carpets, horses (from Arabia).
Dates are tho most valuablo Gxport, and aro sont chiofly to England
and America. The export of liquorice is also important. The root,
which grows especially on the Tigris banks, is collected in the
winter months, when it contains most juice, and, after being
weighed and cured at the receiving stations, it is forwarded to Basra,
where it is baled by hydraulic power. The export of cereals in the
three years 1911-13 varied from 231,171 tons in a good year (1912)
to 44,283 tons in 1913, when the harvest was bad. The cereal
exported in the largest quantities is barley. See further vol. i,
chap. xii.
The date trade supplies the only local export of any importance,
most of the business done being in the way of agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. or forwarding.
The Euphrates valley as far as Hilla probably draws directly on
Basra for its imported commodities, but this is perhaps the limit of
the importance of Basra as a pivot of internal trado* Tho key to
b b 2