Gulpk of Persia.} ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



87 



considerable. The demand for British manufactures is comparatively small ; 

 the most valuable part is supplied from Europe by caravans across the 

 desert. The expence of carriage, including the insurance from risk, and 

 the duties paid the wandering tribes, &c. is very moderate. It b impossible 

 that a cargo of European goods to any extent could be found capable of 

 being disposed of in all or any ports in the Gulph. A recent account states, 

 the articles of British manufacture suited to the Persian market, to be 

 woollens, metals, chiefly iron and lead, and glass ware, including cut 

 lustres, decanters, &c. A considerable part of the goods imported into 

 Bussorah from India is, no doubt, for Turkey and other parts, as well as 

 Persia ; but as most of those articles are also imported into Bushire (the 

 Indian manufactures, however, in small quantities, but the others in a much 

 larger proportion), some of these necessary for the supply of Persia, are of 

 considerable value, and naturally entitled to a preference over woollens or 

 other European articles ; whilst, on the other hand, the greater part of the 

 products and manufactures of Persia is not suitable to the Indian markets. 

 They consist of horses, pearls, silks, brocades, carpets, manufactures of 

 steel, sword blades, spear heads, gun barrels, glass, rose-water, otto of roses, 

 cotton cloths, shawls, skins, raw silks, some indigo, tobacco, rhubarb, drugs 

 of different sorts, dried fruits, iron, copper, Caramania wool, wines, and 

 some trifling articles ; to which must be added Persian and Turkish coins, 

 Venetian sequins, German crowns, and gold and silver in bars. India is 

 therefore a constant drain upon Persia for its gold and silver, as scarce one 

 third of the imports can be returned to India in the produce of Persia. 



Surat piece-goods form the largest item in the list of imports from- 

 India. Fine Bengal muslins, as well as fine Surat piece-goods, and the finer 

 sorts of Guzerat goods, go oft* well. The first-mentioned are sold to mer- 

 chants, w ho come from different parts of Turkey. The red and blue goods 

 are the consumption of Bussorah, and places adjacent. It is necessary to 

 observe, that the sooner these goods are provided at Surat, the cheaper they 

 will turn out; and by being early at market, you will have the advantage of 

 chusing or procuring the goods of a finer quality than when the monsoon is 

 far advanced, or at the latter end of it. 



INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO THE TRADE AT BUSSORAH. 



Immediately upon your arrival, use dispatch in going up to town, and 

 procure boats for your cargo ; for which you will apply to the Chief, who 

 generally sends down boats, called dunnocks ; but have trankeys, as they 

 are less liable to be stopped in the river, which frequently happens when 

 dunnocks ur* sent 



