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‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1902-03’ [‎203r] (53/72)

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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KESIDENCY AND MA SKAT POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. FOR THE YEAR 1902-1903. 41
P art V.—KBPOKT ON THE TEADE OE MOHAMMEEAH EOE THE
YEAE 1902.
ABSTRACT OF CONTENTS.
River Trade.
Caravan routes.
Agriculture.
Comparison Table Statistics.
General.
Owing to there being again no export of wheat, trade continued depressed,
especially with regard to imports from India. Eetail prices rose considerably
owing to fall in the price of silver and rise in value of the rupee.
A difficulty to trade is the system of advances, buyers of produce having
to act as bankers to the cultivators and give advances before the prospects of
harvests are assured. Goods imported are usually sold on three or six months'
credit and paid for in instalments or after the harvests.
Particulars as to various items of exports and imports are given in com
parison tables attached.
Exchange.
Exchange ranged from 54 to 58 krans to the pound sterling. In annexed
Tables krans 56=£1.
Shipping.
Thirty-two steamers called with cargo from, and ten took cargo for,
Europe. In addition to the steamers of Bucknall's lines and the Anglo-Arabian
Company, those of the West Hartlepool Company also called. The two com
panies running from Bombay called regularly.
Freights to London ranged from 18 to 11 per scale ton.
Eiver. —The one river steamer ran fortnightly to Bunder Nasri (Ahwaz).
The S.S. Shnshan crossed the rapids early in March and resumed running on
the Upper Karun.
Eiver Trade.
The river trade, especially by steamer, consists largely of shipments on
through Bills of Lading to and from Ahwaz and Shuster from and to Europe and
India transhipped at Mohammerah. There was considerable delay to such
cargo during the latter part of the year owing to the Customs claiming to collect
the duty at Mohammerah. A Customs house has now been re-opened at Ahwaz,
and is to be at Shuster also.
Caravan Eoutes.
Ahwaz and Ispahan. —There was a considerable increase in traffic by the
Ahwaz-Ispahan route, which shows a considerable saving in time against the
Bushire-Ispahan route. The road is, however, blocked by snow for about four
months in winter.
Dizful and Khoremabad.—ThQ Lizful-Khoremabad route was closed owing
to the lawlessness of the tribes, even the post for places outside the Province
being now sent via Bushire.
Shuster and JDizful. —The road between Shuster and Dizful was insecure
at times owing to raids principally by Arabs from the Turkish border, on one
occasion the S.S. Shushan was attacked near Shuster by a gang of such raiders.
Agriculture.
Wheat. —The wheat crop was very small owing to scarcity of seed, and the
surplus was retained in the grain districts. The prospects for next harvest are
good, a large area having been sown, and rains having been good. Prices
ranged from 28s. Qd. to 22s. 10 (i. per maund of 3J cwts.
Dates - -The dates crop was large, about the same as last year; but some
varieties suffered from continued dry winds and dust. Prices range rom
6s. id to. 4s. per maund of 1J cwts. _
W. McHOUALL,
Eis Britannic Majesty s Vice-Consul,
Mohammerah.
General.
Exchange.
Shipping.

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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 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’ [‎203r] (53/72), 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_100023551198.0x000037> [accessed 24 April 2024]

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