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‘Report on the administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muskat Political Agency for the year 1879-80’ [‎307v] (45/161)

The record is made up of 1 volume (80 folios). It was created in 1880. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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34 administration repout of the persian gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. political
one occasion changed some of the mules on the road. Suitable redress
from Persian officials it is impossible to obtain. It would be necessary
for the officer deputed to appoint native forwarding agents at Bushire
and Mohammerah to take over charge of the mules sent down, see
after them until shipped, ship them, provide stores of barley and straw,
&c. In good years barley and straw can be procured in the country,
but in bad years it would be advisable to send compressed hay and
barley from Bombay or Kurrachee. A large remuneration would not
be requisite for these forwarding agents, as, unless forage is supplied
from Bombay or Kurrachee, they can generally make a little profit in
supplying barley and straw. Major Probyn succeeded in engaging
an excellent man in Bushire.
The difficulty of obtaining money to pay for the mules is one hard
of remedy. Arrangements made with large firms and sufficient notice
given to them that a certain amount of money would be required in a
certain place would seem to be the best plan, unless sufficient influence
could be exerted at Teheran to force the local Governors to supply money
at a fair rate for bills on Teheran or elsewhere. Were sufficient notice
given to any large mercantile firm (Gray, Paul and Co. for instance)
or to more than one, they could arrange to supply krans at Shuster, Shiraz
and Ispahan at a fair rate.
Of course to purchase mules it would always be necessary to have
the sanction and good-will of the Persian Government. Strict orders
from the Central Government should be obtained and sent to all the
local Governments concerned, and it would be well if these orders were
repeated from time to time, otherwise obstructions are sure to occur.
With regard to the price to be paid for mules it must vary at dif
ferent times, but it would generally be possible to obtain a good stamp
of mule, thirteen hands and over, and girth at least fifty-six inches, at
the three places I have named, for an average price between Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 180
and Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 200.
The price actually paid for a mule invariably exceeds to a
greater or less extent the sum of money the owner of the mule receives,
as a portion, sometimes large, always finds its way into the pockets of
third parties, some of whom are apparently quite unconnected with the
sale. This annoyance is unavoidable, and all an officer can do is to try
and allow as little as possible to be so diverted.
The cost of feed, conveyance, &c., of the mules from the place of
purchase to, say, Kurrachee would be ;—
Per mule.
From Sinister about ... ... ... Rs. 55 to 60
„ Shiraz „ ... ... „ 65 to 70
„ Ispahan „ ... ... ... „ 72 to 78
This allows Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 30 for steamer and Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 10 for export duty,
the remainder is calculated for food and attendance. Shuster is the
cheapest place, as it is usually possible to obtain grazing for the mules
on the road to Mohammerah. On the last occasion no export duty was
levied at Mohammerah, and each Shuster mule's expenses were less by
Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 10.

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Content

Administration Report on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. and Muskat [Muscat] Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for 1879-80, published by Authority at the Foreign Department Press, India (Calcutta), and forming part of the Selections from the Records of the Government of India, Foreign Department (No. 171) and based on reports sent to Government by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Muscat. The report is preceded by a copy of a letter sent by Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Charles Ross, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , to A. C. Lyall, Secretary to the Government of India, dated 30 June 1880, which enclosed the submission of the original reports to the Government of India (folios 290-91).

The report is divided up into a number of sections and subsections, as follows:

1. General Report for 1879-80 , prepared by Ross (folios 291-308), which is divided a number of small reports, organised by region, as follows: 1. ’Omán or Muskat State; 2. Pirate Coast; 3. El-Bahrain; 4. Nejd, El-Hasá [Al-Hasa] and El-Katr [Qatar]; 5. Southern Persia; and 6. Bassidore [Bāsa‘īdū]. The reports detail the state of local affairs in each region, including relations between tribes and rulers, disease, incidents of piracy, migrations. The report for Southern Persia contains a separate report for Fars. The report for Bassidore includes reports on: political appointments; royal naval activity, postal affairs; observatory activity; and administration of the trade in mules in Persia. Four appendices follow the report: A. List of Guttur (or El-Katr) [Qatar] ports and names of chiefs and main tribes; B. Terms of a mutual agreement entered into by the Trucial Chiefs of the Oman Coast through the medium of Hajee Abul Kassim, Moonshee, specially deputed on this service, and Hajee Abdur Rahman, Government Agent, Arab coast, dated 24 June 1879; C. tabulated meteorological data from the Bushire Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Observatory; D. Notes upon the breeding, treatment, etc., of the Persian mule, and upon Persia as a source of supply for mules, written by Lieutenant I MacIvor, Assistant Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .

2. A Memoir on Nejd , prepared by Ross (folios 308-21), comprising an outline history of the Wahábees [ Wahhābī A follower of the Islamic reform movement known as Wahhabism; also used to refer to the people and territories ruled by the Al-Saud family. ] of Nejd and the Ál-Su’ood [Āl Sa‘ūd] Amirs, from 1691 to the present day, and a number of appendices: A. Genealogical of the Āl Sa‘ūd; B. List of principal districts and towns of Nejd; C. Tribes of Nejd; D. List of authorities and sources of information availed of in preparing Memoir of Nejd .

3. Report on trade for 1879, prepared by Ross, dated 26 May 1880 (folios 321-56), comprising a summary of the year’s harvest and trade; the Commercial Treaty; customs duty; assistance to vessels in distress; prohibition export of specie exceptions; notice of prohibition of export of produce; mercantile tribunals; protection of British subjects; introduction of industrial machinery and agricultural implements. Three appendices follow: A. Report on the salt caves and mines and the trade in salt in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , written by the Assistant Surgeon, Abder Raheem, Bassidore, 20 March 1880; B. Tabulated list of productions [summer and winter agricultural planting) of Fars; C. Tabulated trade statistics, indicating the quantity and values of imports and exports in the region, lists of goods traded, and nationality and tonnage of trading vessels.

4. Administration report of the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , Muskat, for the year 1879-80 , prepared by Major Charles Grant, His Britannic Majesty’s Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and Consul, Muscat (folios 357-65), comprising: an overview of the political situation in Muscat, changes in British personnel at the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. ; the slave trade; marine events; and trade. An appendix of tabulated trade statistics follows the report, detailing nationality and tonnage of vessels visiting Muscat, and lists of imports and exports.

Extent and format
1 volume (80 folios)
Arrangement

The report is arranged into a number of parts and sections, with tabulated statistical data directly following written sections. There is a contents page at the front of the report (folios 288-89), which refers to the report’s internal pagination sequence.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: There is a foliation sequence, which is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. It begins on the first folio, on number 285 and ends on the last folio, on number 364.

Pagination: The volume contains an original typed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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‘Report on the administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muskat Political Agency for the year 1879-80’ [‎307v] (45/161), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/V/23/37, No 171, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023580190.0x00002f> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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