Syria: An Economic Survey 



II. Foreign Trade. 



A. Ways and Usages. 



Import. Syria depends on other countries for minerals (iron, 

 petroleum, coal, etc.), timber, industrial products (cotton goods, 

 wool, etc.), and dry groceries (sugar, rice, coffee, etc.). The 

 importer buys the merchandise from a foreign firm either by 

 correspondence or through a travelling salesman, or indirectly 

 through an agent or commission merchant. Part of the imported 

 commodities are bought in Egypt instead of in the country where 

 they are produced. Alexandria and Port Said are centers for 

 textiles and groceries, coal, hardware, etc. 



Beirut is the main port for woolen yarns and woven goods, 

 which are mostly imported from Manchester. Groceries, etc., are 

 generally sent direct to the smaller ports from Europe. 



Export. For the most part the same firms handle both import 

 and export. The chief articles exported are: silk (cocoons or spun 

 silk), domestic woven goods (silk, half silk, wool), soap, oranges 

 and lemons, wheat, barley, sesame, chickpeas, wine, and religious 

 articles. Silk is exported to Lyons, barley (from Gaza, Horns, 

 Hama) to London and Hull, religious articles to America, soap and 

 butter to Egypt and Constantinople, oranges to Liverpool, wine to 

 Egypt, etc. 



There are neither stock nor produce exchanges in Syria. 



B. Import and Export Statistics. 



Unfortunately, the official import and export statistics do not 

 deal with each individual harbor, but group the Syrian harbors as 

 follows: (1) Beirut; (2) all other harbors belonging to the cus- 

 toms district of Beirut from Khan Yunus to Latakia; (3) the 

 harbors belonging to the customs district of Alexandretta. In the 

 year 1910-1911 the total import and export of Syria amounted to 

 about 248,000,000 francs. 



Value of Imports in Piastres.* 



^^Sonff^sSict^^lMiuttlretta. . . .129,443,046 33,760,287 163,203,333 



Through the port of Beirut 413,330,453 5,695,085 419,035,538 



Through other ports belonging to the 



customs district of Beirut 147,330,720 15,353,007 162,683,727 



Total 690,104,219 54,808,379 744,913,598 



Value of Exports in Piastres. 

 Through ports belonging to the Dutiable. Duty free. Total. 



customs district of Alexandretta 157,733,379 4,158.950 161,892,329 



Through the port of Beirut 111,473,670 1,607,726 116,031,396 



Through other ports belonging to the 



customs district of Beirut 97,578,312 150,690 97,729,002 



Total 366,785,361 5,917,366 375,702,727 



* 4.52 piastres = 1 franc. 



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