Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎17v] (39/1028)

8
si t * to Q+AnmP'TN of the Hansa Line have again increased the
German “ry small decrease in. imports, 15,108
total tonnage earned by offset by a considerable increase in
tons as against 15,255 o ’ j mpor ^ s consisted of motor cars, almost
3® 2ST Z e :S‘ir— "l—, loaf sugar, and -JJ—
E<l'ol« «”««-; ^ 0 “ To "ari, ™.' oud of S
goat-hair and other ma de a survey of the Gulf-to see if it would be
the Hamburg American Line mad T^nmrmr it however that the
worthwhile restarting their prewar service. Rumour has it, however, that the
survey was unprofitable. . .
Tamanp vp Interests.—In 1937 there were four services running regularly
to the Gulf. Now there are only two, i.e., the Mitsui and Yamashita Lines.
During the year 21 of their steamers called at Bushire and landed 1 141 tons
of carlo, mostly tea, glassware and piecegoods. They took away, however,
only 195 tons of opium.
Russian Interests.-The only U. S. S. R business through Bushire in
1938 consisted of the import of sugar for the Government Monopoly It
came in one Norwegian and two Greek steamers bringing a total of 5,421 tons.
Other Interests.—The American Silver Line and other American Lines
have ceased to call at Bushire and cargo for Bushire is being landed at Basrah
for transhipment by B. I. steamers. One American and one Dutch steamer,
however, called during the year.
4. Opium. The following are the details of opium shipped from Bushire
during 1938 : —
January
300
cases for Batavia,
February
50
yy
Macao.
March
078
yy
Taku ?
March
150
>>
yy
Yokohama ?
April
300
5*
yy
Marseilles.
April
160
5 J
yy
Saigon.
May
300
y*
yy
Saigon.
May
300
y>
yy
Macao.
May
35
yy
yy
Hamburg,
June
200
yy
yy
Singapore.
June
10
yy
yy
London.
July
300
yy
yy
Singapore.
August .
300
yy
yy
Singapore.
September
200
yy
yy
Singapore.
October .
November
200
yy
yy
Singapore.
December
972
yy
fy
Macao ?
Total
#
4,755
cases.
Of the above, only 345 cases were shipped to Western markets, the
balance going to the Far East. The majority of these shipments were made
openly. But two of them, i.e., the 1,128 cases in March and the 972 cases
in December were shipped very secretly for the Far East on two Japanese
steamers. The port markets and destination were kept secret by the
shippers. The Opium Monopoly Department has greatly increased its
export of opium during the year, and Japanese trade agents in Tehran have
been making every effort to get more exported to be paid for by the import
of Japanese goods.
5. Communication. Sea .—The B. I. Slow mails both up and down still
call weekly at Bushire. The Fast Mail service also still calls in alternate
weeks. Strick continue their monthly service and Ellerman and Bucknall
call occasionally. Ships of the Hansa Line both from Germany and direct
from New York call fairly regularly. The only other foreign steamers making
regular calls axe those of the Yamashita and Nippon Yussen Kaisha Lines
(Japanese).
Air. Air France still maintains its weekly service to and from Europe
and India. In November and December the aerodrome became water-logged
and on several occasions planes were unable to land. They did, however.