'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. I. 1918' [‎221] (230/568)

COMMEECE AND INDUSTRY
221
to London, but some went to Germany, France, and Austria. The
tanning of the skins, which are brought in from all parts of the
country and also from Persia, is imperfectly carried out, while the
ignorance and conservatism of local tanners makes it very difficult
to introduce any improvements in their methods.
The export of lambskins consists partly of true lambskins from
the winter lambs killed shortly after birth, of which probably 150,000
to 500,000, valued at from £7,500 to £25,000 are exported annually,
partly of skins taken from the lambs born in summer and killed
in the following spring. There has been a large export of these
latter, chiefly to Germany and Austria, through Hamburg and
Trieste. The price of these skins, which are largely used for glove-
making, was in 1907 from Is. 10c?. to 2s. 6c?. per skin in the Baghdad
market: it is estimated that from 150,000 to 800,000 are sent away
annually; astrakhan skins were valued in the same year at from
3c?. to 2s. 6c?. per skin; the principal demand for these was from
Marseilles.
Goatskins are mostly exported in the form of raw goatskins with
hair; these are brought in large quantities from Kurdistan and
Persia. They have been exported to Europe and to the United
Kingdom; most of those exported to this country have gone even
tually to America; the export to Europe passed chiefly through
Marseilles. The price per oke in Baghdad was in 1913 from Is. 6c?.
to 2s.; the quantity exported annually is estimated at from 200,000
to 300,000 pieces, valued at from £20,000 to £30,000.
A certain number of raw goatskins are tanned at Mo'adhdham.
They have been exported to the United Kingdom, which is usually
the best market for the tanned skins. Prices of tanned goatskins
were in 1912 2s. lOd. to 3s, in 1913 3s. lc^. to 3s. 3c?. per oke.
The number of ox and cowhides brought to Baghdad in an average
season is from 50,000 to 60,000; these have been exported to European
ports, chiefly Marseilles,, and to the United States; the estimated
value is about £12,000 annually. From 8,000 to 10,000 buffalo-hides
come into the market every year, of which the greater number are
used locally.
The amount of the total export of hides and skins from Baghdad
has varied from 4,366 bales, valued at £56,760, in 1908 to 7,618 bales,
valued at £108,612, in 1913; the export figures from Basra are
rather less.
From Mosul hides and skins are exported to the value of about
£40,000 annually.
There is a considerable export trade in hides and skins from
Diarbekr. It appears that the bulk of the export went to France,