Page:EB1922 - Volume 30.djvu/203

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The following comparative table gives approximate trade figures (including specie), in thousands of pounds sterling, of the chief ports, in the years just anterior to the World War:

(a) Western Littoral Aden ' Hodeida Jidda (b) Eastern Littoral Muscat Manama (Bahrein) Kuwait

Year

Imports

Exports

Total

I9I3-4 1912-3 1912-3

I9I3-4

4.377 789

408

1,878 3"i

4-H9 490

272 1,740 114

8,526 1,279 1,482

680 3,618

485

The Western Littoral. Trade was much disorganized during the World War and shifted from port to port as the exigence of the time demanded. Normal conditions were by no means resumed even in 1921. General trade figures were not available, but the following table gives (in round numbers) the trade movement between Aden and the chief ports, from 1914-9:

(April I to March 31) I9I3-4 I9H-5 1915-6 1916-7 1917-8 1918-9

Jidda

Jeizan

Hodeida

Mocha

100,000 64,000 2,000 119,000 126,000 50,000

5,000 2,000 33,000 782,000 633,000 538,000

619,000 387,000 I,ooo nil nil 5,000

251,000 142,000 757,000 34,000 nil nil

The marked increase at Jeizan was due to war operations in Asir ; the almost total extinction of trade at Hodeida in V)i6-g and the temporary revival of Mocha, at the expense of Hodeida, to the blockade of the Yemen coast; and the sudden fall at Jidda in 1915-6 to the temporary blockade of the Hejaz coast just previous to the Arab revolt. There is normally a considerable direct trade between certain Red Sea ports and Egypt (Suez). In 1918, it amounted to about E25p,ooo of which imports were 225,000, chiefly cotton piece-goods (157,000), soap, dried beans, sugar and lentils; and exports, chiefly charcoal.

The main item in the trade figures of Jidda is the export of specie amounting, in normal times, to well over 1,000,000 annually. As to trade in general commodities, there is always an enormous excess of imports over exports, due largely to the requirements of pilgrims, the Hejaz producing little. In 1911, imports included rice 233,000 (from India); maize, wheat and barley 181,000; cotton piece-goods 150,000; silk goods and sugar, and, in that year, 287 steam vessels of 616,000 aggregate tonnage entered the port. Exports in the same year did not exceed 50,000 and consisted of skins and hides, wool, henna, gum and mother-of-pearl shells. The number of pilgrims passing through Jidda in 1912 was 83,295.

Midi (Asir), 45 m. S. of Jeizan, became a port of some importance during hostilities. In 1917, the construction of a stone pier for the discharge of cargo was undertaken.

Hodeida was formerly the most important of the southern Red Sea ports, but during the past decade its trade has steadily declined. In 1909, imports amounted to 650,000 and exports to 401,000, the latter consisting mainly of coffee, hides and skins. The Yemen coffee trade, valued at about 200,000 in 1911-2, has passed almost entirely to Aden on account of the greater security of the Aden routes and the better facilities there for husking the berries, and export. In 1921 the port was reported to be almost deserted. The scheme for a new harbour at Khor el Kethib, a good natural inlet 10 m. N., did not materialize.

The Eastern Littoral. The following comparative table sum- marizes the value of the trade (including specie) of the chief ports, from 1912-20, the figures being in thousands of pounds sterling:

Year

Muscat

Manama

Kuwait

Imp.

Exp.

Total

Imp.

Exp.

Total

Imp.

Exp.

Total

1912-3 I9I3-4 I9H-5 1915-6 1916-7 1917-8 1918-9 1919-20

464 408 328 243

167 290

301 272

275 1 88

157 242

765 680 603 431

324

532

2,240

1,878 758 ,173 ,530 ,607 ,350 ,414

2,295 1,740 462

369

780

817 1,318 946

4,535 3-618 1,220

i,54 2 2,310 2,424 2,668 2,360

438 371 292 292 472 1,270

994 1,961

132 114

43 US 152 263

259 276

570 485 335 405 624

i,533 1,253 1,337

Muscat is the main trade outlet of Oman. The decline in trade after 1913-4, shown in the table, was due partly to the opening of Dibai in the Trucial Oman as a free port and partly to the con- trol placed upon the arms traffic in 1912. The import of arms fell from 180,000 to almost nil in the period 1913-5. In 1918-9, 80% of the total trade was with India, 12% with the Arabian coast, and 4.5 % with Persian ports, and 42 steam vessels of gross tonnage 57,837 cleared the port; the tonnage carried by sailing vessels was 20,149. The most important article of export is dates (123,000 in 1918-9), of which the better sorts of dry dates go

to the New York and Boston markets; of secondary importance are pearls, mother-of-pearl and salt fish, mainly to India. Rice from India is the chief import.

Manama holds a somewhat similar position to Aden as a place of transhipment and centre of distribution for eastern and central Arabia. It is the headquarters of the Persian Gulf pearl industry, in which it is said that 5,000 boats are engaged. The exceptional decrease of exports 1914-6 (see above table) was due to the decline in the pearl trade, which fell in value from about 1,800,000 in 1912-3 to 320,000 in 1915-6, causing great economic stress. In 1919-20 the chief imports were rice 406,000, piece-goods 337,000, coffee 93,000, ghi 67,000 and sugar 33,000; exports, pearls 294,000 (318,000 in 1918 and 702,000 in 1919), rice 261,000, cotton goods 219,000, and coffee. In the same year, 75 % of the trade was directly with India and 23 % with other ports of the Persian Gulf; and 56 steam vessels of 111,244 aggregate ton- nage entered, of which 109,073 was British.

At Kuwait the principal imports (in 1919-20) were cotton piece-goods 384,000, rice 117,000, coffee 21,000, sugar and tea; and exports, rice 58,000 and ghi 14,000. In the same year, 47 steam vessels of 89,809 aggregate tonnage entered; India furnished 82-5% of the total imports, and 70% of the exports were destined for other Arabian ports. Pearl boats valued at 27,000 were built in 1912-3.

The Interior. The principal market centres of the interior of Arabia are: Teima and Kheibar (Hejaz), Muhail and Khamis Mush- eit (Asir) ; San'a (Yemen) ; Makhlaf (Nejran) ; Lahej (Aden hinter- land) ; Shibam and Hauta (Hadhramaut) ; Sema'il, Rostaq and Nizwa (Oman); Riyadh, Boreida and Hail (central Arabia); and Hofuf (El Hasa). Trade at these centres consists in the collection of the small surplus native agricultural products and in the distribu- tion of manufactured articles and foodstuffs brought in from the coast.

Communications. With the exception of the Hejaz line, Arabia was still without railways at the end of 1920. Two extensions of the Hejaz line were projected: (i) Medina-Mecca; (2) Ma'an-Akaba. The first formed part of the original plan - the distance direct being 280 m. and the estimated cost just under i ,000,000. An alternative route, via Rabugh, was also considered and construction was begun at both Medina and Rabugh, but was abandoned. The Ma'an-Akaba scheme did not go beyond the preliminary survey stage. In 191 1, a survey of a railway from Mecca to Jidda was made by the Turks, but construction was postponed. In 1909, French engineers surveyed for a railway which the Turkish Government proposed to build from Hodeida to San'a and 'Amran. Alternative routes were considered one direct via Bajil and Hajla, and the other making a detour through Zebid, Ta'izz and Yerim. As a preliminary, a French syndicate constructed 5-6 m. of metre-gauge track, between Hodeida and a proposed new harbour at Khor el Kethib, about 10 m. to the north. The work and all material and plant (including several locomotives) were destroyed in the Italian bombardment of Hodeida, in 1912. In 1918-9 a metre-gauge military line was extended from Sheikh "Othman to a few miles beyond Lahej, a total distance of 25 m. from Aden; when not required for military purposes it is available for ordinary transport.

There are no made roads of any considerable length in Arabia, except one of 173 m. from Hodeida to San'a; but sections of certain of the caravan tracks were adapted, during the World War, for rough motor service, e.g. the road from Jidda to Mecca and from Akaba to Ma'an. For purposes of trade, the old caravan routes have still to serve. The only route of trans- peninsular character is that from Zobeir to Boreida (379 m.), Mecca (479 m.) and Jidda (55 m.) ; total, 913 m. For the passage of trade as well as pilgrims, no other caravan route in Arabia compares with it in importance.

The lines of telegraph are: Jidda - Mecca; Jidda - Rabugh - Medina; Hodeida- San'a; Hodeida - Mocha - Sheikh Sa'id; Hodeida - Loheia - Midi; and Mocha - Ta'izz - Yerim - San'a.

For travelling or through-trade purposes the rafiq or companion system obtains. Each tribe has a recognized dira or range, and in passing from the territory of one tribe to that of another a rafiq of the last tribe is absolutely necessary for safe conduct. Inter-tribal trade is also facilitated by the 'Uqeil, recognized carriers, who are " franked " by all tribes and are thus able to conduct a caravan with more or less security. They are chosen from among the tribesmen of central Arabia and El Hasa, care being taken to exclude members of the more powerful tribes and those who have blood feuds, so as to preserve the neutral character of the organization.