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‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1902-03’ [‎189r] (25/72)

The record is made up of 1 volume (34 folios). It was created in 1903. 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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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 MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. FOR THE YEAR 1902-1903. 13
ore . ^ r e . ;Dmto .^ e l J? Goyernment of India were pleased to de
corate Saiyid laimoor with the Gold Delhi Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). Commemoration Medal
After leaving De hi on 12th January Saiyid Taimoor and party proceeded
direct to Bombay, where a fortnight was spent while communications passed
with His Highness the Sultan regarding a proposed tour to Agra, Aligarh and
Calcutta. In the meanwhile, at his father's wish, Saiyid Taimoor visited his
great uncle, Saiyid Abdul Aziz, at Poona, and Saiyid Abdul Aziz subsecracntlv
journeyed to Bombay for a few hours to return his nephew's visit. On 26th
January the party left for Agra where three days were spent seein^ the sights
of the neighbourhood. From Agra a short excursion was made to Aliovarii
Saiyid Taimoor having been invited by the Principal and Council to pav a
visit to the Saiyid Ahmed M. A. O. College. A long morning was spent there
and the party were received with much kindness and distinction by the College
authorities, and appeared to bo greatly interested and impressed by what thev
saw j in the afternoon a stait was made for Calcutta, where another week wjis
spent and various places of interest visited, by the end of which it was time to
think of returning to Maskat, which was reached safely on 18th Pebruary. It
is certain that the whole party thoroughly enjoyed their tour, especially Saiyid
Taimoor, who displayed much intelligence and good sense under the novel
surroundings, and there can be no doubt that besides the pleasure which he
derived from what he saw both at Delhi and afterwards his experiences have opened
his mind considerably and will leave upon him a lasting impression for good.
On his safe return His Highness the Sultan fired a salute of 21 guns as a
mark of his acknowledgments to Government for their entertainment of his
deputation and this was followed by a salute of 13 guns in honour of Saiyid
Taimoor.
At Maskat Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). Day was appropriately celebrated. A salute of
101 guns was fired and the Union Jack flown from the Sultan's saluting battery
from sunrise to sunset and His Highness with his usual suite called officially at
the British Consulate to offer his congratulations, as did the representatives of
Foreign Powers. The members of the British Indian Communities closed and
illuminated their shops in honour of the occasion and deputations of the several
persuasions called at the Consulate to express their congratulations and loyalty
to the crown. A telegram was at the same time sent by them to the Govern
ment of India for favour of transmission to His Majesty the King conveying
similar expressions of congratulation and loyalty.
11. Customs. —His Highness still continues to administer his own Customs i
and has during the year under report resumed the direct administration of the
Gwadur Customs also. The revenue of the Oman Customs has this year touched
the highest figure that has yet been reached, there being an increase of one
million dollars in the value of the trade as compared with last year.
The items which have mainly contributed to this substantial improvement
will be seen from the trade statistics. It is worthy of remark here, however,
that the large increase in the date export was mainly due to the Turkish
Arabian crop having been a poor one, resulting in the transfer of part of the
Gulf demand to Maskat.
It is satisfactory to be able to report that the work inaugurated last year in
connection with the improvement of the Custom House premises has been
continued by the local Government. The wharf, which was ^quite inadequate
for the accommodation required, has now been enlarged by taking in more of the
foreshore and roofed sheds have moreover been erected on it for the better
protection of merchandise from the elements. At the same time suitable offices,
and warehouses for the storage of goods are in the course of erection^ and when
finished will much improve the appearance and utility of the premises ^ (which
have for years lain in a most dilapidated condition), to a very considerable
degree. Owing to the difficulty of obtaining suitable building material locally
and also no doubt in order to carry on the work with as little financial strain
upon himself as possible, progress cannot be as^ rapid as the Sultan would
wish, but he is to be congratulated on the inception of a work of real public
utility.
The Steamer, N ut-u I-J^ahr^ late Richard Greek of 295 tons gross^ register
which the Government of India lately purchased for His Highness baiyid Peisal,
e

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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 Maskat [Muscat] Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for 1902-1903, published by the Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India (Calcutta), forming part of the Selections from the Records of the Government of India, Foreign Department, 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. and other Agents in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Folios 181 and 168 are copies of notes, dated 15 and 21 May 1903 respectively. Both notes were sent by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Arnold Kemball, Officiating 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 Louis William Dane, Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department. The first note (no.82) enclosed the 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 Muscat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. reports. The second note (no.87) enclosed statistical tables of trade at Ahwaz and Shuster for 1902, drawn up by His Britannic Majesty’s Consul at Mohammerah [Khorramshahr] from returns supplied by Messrs Lynch and Brothers.

The Administration Report is organised as follows:

1. General Summary , submitted by Kemball (folios 183-87), including reports on: the year’s rainfall and harvest; the governorship of Bushire and Gulf ports; public health, with details of outbreaks of cholera and smallpox; customs administration in the Gulf; settlement of claims against the Persian Government; and the coronation of King Edward VII. The General Summary also includes summaries for towns and regions, chiefly comprising accounts of local politics: Oman and Muscat; Oman and the Pirate Coast, including an assessment of the pearling season; Bahrain, including news from El Katr [Qatar]; El Hassa [Al-Hasa] and El Katif [Al-Qaṭīf]; Koweit [Kuwait] and Nejd, with an update on the fighting taking place between Abdul Rahman bin Feysul el Saood [Ibn Sa‘ūd] and the Emir of Nejd, Ibn Rashīd; Persian Arabistan; Fars and the Persian Coast, with separate reports from Shiraz, Lār, Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh], and Bunder Abbas [Bandar-e ʻAbbās]; Persian Baluchistan. Further reports are included on: the slave trade, including numbers of slaves manumitted by British officials in the region; incidents of piracy; naval movements, chiefly British but also Russian, French and Persian vessels; changes in British official personnel; and movements and changes in foreign representatives. An appendix to part 1 comprises statistical tables with meteorological data for the region.

2. Administration Report of the Muscat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , 1902-03 , submitted by Major Percy Zachariah Cox, His Britannic Majesty’s Consul and 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 (folios 187-92), including: an account of the tribal politics of Oman; reports from Seeb, Awabi, Nezwa [Nizwa], and Gwadur [Gwadar]; the Political Muscat Agent’s tour, including Fujeyrah [Fujairah], a Persian flag flying on Sirrī Island, and the journey from Abu Thabi [Abu Dhabi] to Muscat; a report of Cox’s attendance of the Delhi coronation durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). ; customs; the arms trade; public health; slave trade activity; telegraph rates; Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. buildings; naval movements at Muscat, chiefly British but also Russian, French and U.S. vessels; official changes and the Resident’s visit. A trade report for Muscat is appended to the administration report, summarising imports and exports, itself followed by an appendix of tabulated trade statistics.

3. Report on the Trade and Commerce of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for the Year 1902 , submitted by Kemball (folios 192-99), including: general remarks on trade; imports and exports; exchange; mule hire rates; freight and shipping rates. An appendix follows with trade data of the principal imports and exports, and number, tonnage and nationality of vessels.

4. Report on the Trade of the Bahrein Islands for the Year 1902 , submitted by John Calcott Gaskin, Assistant 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. (folios 200-02), with details of: coffee imports; pearling season; shell exports; exchange; port improvements. An appendix follows the report, containing tabular data on the principal imports and export at Bahrain.

5. Report on the Trade of Mohammerah [Khorramshahr] for the Year 1902 , submitted by William McDouall, His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul, Mohammerah (folios 203-08), with summaries on: exchange; shipping; river trade; caravan routes; and agriculture. An appendix follows the report, containing trade data in tabular format.

6. Trade Report of Bundar Abbas [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] for the Year 1902 , submitted by Captain William George Grey, His Britannic Majesty’s Vice-Consul, Bandar-e ʻAbbās (folios 208-11), with summaries on: openings for British trade; mistakes made by British traders; the progress or decline of rival trade; obstacles to trade; communication between traders and the Consular Officer; legislative and tariff regulations; shipping. An appendix follows the report, containing trade data in tabular format.

Extent and format
1 volume (34 folios)
Arrangement

The report is arranged into a number of parts and subsections, with statistic data in tabular format directly following written sections. There is a contents page at the front of the report (folio 180) which lists the report’s contents, and refers to the report’s own pagination sequence.

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English in Latin script
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‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1902-03’ [‎189r] (25/72), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/V/23/81, No 404, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023551198.0x00001b> [accessed 20 April 2024]

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