Balsara

Sources from old books

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of BALSARA and the Trade thereof.

BALSARA lieth in the bottome of the Persian gulph, and is seated on the mouth of the River Euphrates, serving as a Magazin for all the commodities of Arabia, India, Turkie, and Persia, and as a through-fare for all Merchants travelling from one of those Countries to another, but especially for such as here take shipping to the Ile of Ormus, India, Arabia, &c. This towne was of late yeares subject to the Persian, but now in obedience to the great Turke, and is the last of his Dominions this way: and here it is observed that the water doth ebbe and flow, as with us in England, and in no place els adjoyning upon the Ocean Seas, the indraught may be imagined to be the cause, as it is observed the like in Venice.

It hath beene noted in matter of trade here, that there is payd for every summe of goods carried from Bagdat hither by water, six sehids, and from Balsara to Bagdat two Medins per Wesnoe, and 100 Wesnoes from Balsara to Ormus, cost carriage twenty Lairins, and the like backe from Ormus to Balsara.

Hither alwayes comes the Syria Caravans that are bound for India, and end their land travell, and imbarke themselves and goods for the great Marts of Ormus and Cambaia, and here returning they conclude their Sea navigation, and begin their land peregrinations for Turkie, &c.

The customes payable at Balsara as the last port of the grand Signiors Dominions, who conquerd the same from the Persian in Anno 1550, is 1 in every 14 sehids for grosse commodities, but it is 1 per 20 or 5 per cent. upon Cloths, silkes, and fine goods, but here is a tare of 3 in 10 Wesnoes allowed both in spices, drugges, &c. for dust, and upon silkes for waste, heads, and the like.

The prices of commodities ruled some yeares past thus here.

The Wesnoe of Maces is worth in Balsara 13 duccats.

The Wesnoe of Nutmeggs was worth 6 duccats.

The Wesnoe of soape was worth 15 seheds.

The Wesno of Almonds was 24 sehids.

The Wesno of Galles was worth 10 larins, and for this weight of Wesno, it is found that 16 Wesnoes of Balsara make a Kintar of Aleppo common weight, but the 100 Wesnoes in the weight of silke of Rotol: 680 dr: in Aleppo makes silke Rot. 529 dr: 28.

The weight common here in the sale of commodities besides this Wesno, is the Maund which is 100 Rotolos, which hath been observed to have made 500 li. English, which is 5 li. a Rotolo, but I have met with an observation upon this place made by some English that have traveld hither, that the 112 li. hath made 19 Maunds 2¾ Rotolos, which must be 5 li. 4¼ ounces English; the difference I referre to be rectified by the better experienced.

Their measure is found to be about 26 inches English.

To proceed to the next Province in Persia, it is Cusestan, scituated Eastward from Persia, called in Scripture Havilah, having in it Susa, a Citie where sometimes the Persian Monarch abides in winter, as being more Southerly than Ecbatana; and lastly Casan, of which a word.