"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد I. ١٩١٨" [‎٢‎٠‎٥] (٥٦٨/٢١٤)

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
205
the other hand to push German commerce in lower Mesopotamia
and Arabistan through a subsidized line of steamers to Basra.
German trade had hardly existed in Irak before 1895. Between
1895 and 1906 German firms had built up businesses here, chiefly
in miscellaneous fancy goods, hardware, glassware, and the like, and
a branch of the Deutsche Orient Bank was opened at Basra in 1903.
But German competition was of little importance in the Baghdad
market until 1906, when the Hamburg-Amerika line started a regular
service of steamers from Hamburg and Antwerp to Basra and the
Persian Gulf.
This was the beginning of a serious commercial attack on Irak
and Arabistan supported by the German Government. The Ham-
burg-Amerika line was subsidized so that it was able to cut rates
beyond the limits of ordinary commercial competition. As a result
it captured a considerable part of the carrying trade to Basra. It
pushed Belgian and other Continental goods into Mesopotamia ;
especially, it had the import of Belgian loaf-sugar which came to
dominate the sugar markets of the Persian Gulf and Baghdad.
Immediately before the war an attempt was being made by the
German line to obtain a share in the carriage of Manchester goods.
As regards the export trade, the Germans had by 1913 acquired
practically the whole shipping of cereals from Mesopotamia. In
1906 Germany had 4-1 per cent, of the total tonnage of steam-vessels
at the port of Basra, while British shipping made up 91-5 per cent.;
in 1913 the British share was 77-9, the German 16-3.
At the same time the Germans were trying to open a way for their
commerce into Arabistan. They had started a steamer service on
the Karun, and had established stores and wharves at Mohammareh
and Ahwaz.
The firm of Wonckhaus had the local agency of the Hamburg-
Amerika line and the principal part in the execution of German
commercial policy in the country.
Trade Methods
It has been the custom that the buyer of agricultural produce
destined for export should advance a sum of money to the owner on
the security of the crop before it has matured, receiving a
or promissory note, in consideration of the loan, which bears interest
at comparatively high rates. An analogous method was followed in
the purchase of the wool-clip. Buyers have often made large profits
by shipping direct; the produce may, however, be put on the local