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‘Report on the administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for 1885-86.’ [‎101v] (116/120)

The record is made up of 1 volume (57 folios). It was created in 1886. 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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114
ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. POLITICAL
Two sets o£ Katr Suratee miskal weights weighed by me were as follows, in English
1
1 2
2
miskal weights
. 317
...
1
do.
do.
. . . . 158|
160|
h
do.
do.
. 79|
80 -g-
i
4
do.
do. ...
. 43
42|
10
habbahs
do. ...
. 29
28|
9
do.
do. ...
. 26
26-|-
8
do.
do. ...
. 23|
23-1
7
do.
do. ...
. . . . 20|
20
i
danik
do. ...
. m
20
5
habbahs
do. ...
. 15|
15f
4
do.
do. ...
. 13|
13|
3
do.
do. ...
. . . . 11|
HI
2
do.
do. ...
Q 6
10
1
do.
do.
46
%
H
The corresponding mashad m
follows, in English grains :—
skal weights of these two sets of Suratee weights were as
1
1 2
i
mashad miskal weight
. 549
550
1
do.
do.
do.
. 278|
280
i
4
do.
do.
do.
. 138
141|
2
daniks
do. . . .
. 70|
71
1
do.
do.
do.
. 36|
36
4
do.
do.
do. . . .
. 20|-
20
Note. —The above weighments were made in a photographic dark room, free from
currents of air, with scales (not apothecaries^) which showed clearly a difference of i grain, and
with weights selected from nine different sets of standard apothecaries' weights, so that any
combination of the selected ones would give the same result, for I found that in each set
some of the weights differed substantially from those of the s&me denomination in other sets,
and that in no one set did the sum of all combinations of the lower weights equal their
equivalent larger weight, and vice versa.
From the above it will be seen that the actual weights used do not stand to the miskal,
or to each other, in the proportion they are nominally supposed to do, and as the (i chao " or
value measure of the quality of a pearl is calculated from its nominal weight, one of the
secrets of profitable pearl-dealing is to know which, and to be able to use without hesitation,
when weighing pearls which are being bargained for, those weights which will give the most
profitable results when converted into " chao," viz., to buy with the highest and sell with the
lowest possible weights. 1* or instance, it will be most profitable to the buyer to use, as much
as he may be allowed, the smaller denominational weights of the Bombay miskal; also the
1, 2 habbah, | danik and one miskal weights when using the Katr Suratee weights.
For, supposing we have a pearl weighing 74 English grains and its weight by the Katr
standard be required, it would be weighed by the i miska 1 weight = 16^ habbahs, and the
10 habbah weight and three grains of wheat = total 27i habbahs = about 74 grains English
(by custom the largest denominational weights practicable should be used in a decreasing series
until the scales balance). But if the buyer would permit the seller to do so, the latter might
weigh the same pearl against the | miskal weight = 33 habbahs, and put into the scale
with the pearl a 1 habbah weight and 1 grain of wheat = total 31| habbah = about 74
English grains; or if the seller would permit the buyer to do so, the latter might weigh
against it 15 one habbah weights and 2 grains of wheat = total 15i habbahs = about 74
grains English.
9. In Major Durand's paper he has stated that one Bahrein fC chao , -' = four Hindustani
chao, this means that the number of (< chao ' in the same pearl are four times more, when
calculated from its nominal weight according to the Bombay weights, and that therefore each
Bahrein < chao' requires a four times greater value to-be assigned to it than that at which a
om ay c ao foi the same quality of pearl, is quoted. The approximate relative values

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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 Muscat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for the year 1885-86, published by Authority by the Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta [Kolkata]. A copy of a letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Barrett Miles, 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. and Her Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General for Fars, to Henry Mortimer Durand, Secretary to the Government of India (Foreign Department), dated 17 June 1886, is included in the report (folio 46), the original of which submitted the report to Government, under the following headings:

Part 1 ( General Summary, folios 47-54), containing summaries of local political affairs, and incidents or events of particular note for: the ‘Pirate coast of Oman’; Bahrain (spelt as Bahrein throughout); Nejd, El-Hasa [Al-Hasa] and El-Katr [Qatar]; Fars, including Bushire, Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh], Bassidore (mistakenly spelt Rassidore in the heading), and Bunder Abbass [Bandar-e ʻAbbās]; Persian Arabistan; and Persian Baluchistan. The report also records a marked increase in the slave trade to the Gulf from Africa, due to the departure of HMS London from Zanzibar; summaries of changes in official personnel; British naval movements in the Gulf; and a summary of meteorological events observed at the Bushire observatory, including a severe gale which caused extensive damage to ports and towns throughout the Gulf. Appendix A contains tabulated and graphical meteorological data for the year, supplied by the Bushire observatory. Appendix B is a report entitled ‘A résumé of what has been done in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. as regards to the introduction of the Arabian date-palm in India’ written by A. R. Hakim, Assistant to 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. .

Part 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. for the year 1885-86 ), submitted by Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Mockler, Her 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 at Muscat, dated 28 June 1886 (folios 55-58), containing a summary of affairs at Muscat, and an additional short report on the seizure of slave traders in Muscat waters during the course of the year. Appendix A is a set of notes written on a tour through Oman and El-Dhahireh [Adh-Dhahirah] in December 1885 by Miles.

Part 3 ( Report on Trade for the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for 1885 ), written by Miles, dated 17 June 1886 (folios 59-92), comprising a short summary of the year’s trade, with notes on: exports (cereals, opium and tobacco); imports (Manchester goods, copper, sugar, naphtha and asbestos); shipping; exchange; the pearl trade. Appendix A comprises tabulated data on import, exports and revenue, in the Gulf ports of Bushire, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e ʻAbbās, Bahrain and the Arab (Oman) coast. An index to the trade tables can be found at folio 60.

Part 4 (

[at Muscat]), by Mockler (folios 92-102), comprising a short summary of the year’s trade at Muscat, and also containing tabulated data on imports and exports at Muscat (listed by commodity), and the nationality and average tonnage of vessels visiting Muscat. Appendix A that follows the report is a note on the weights and measures used in the pearl trade of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , written by Mockler.

Extent and format
1 volume (57 folios)
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 45, and ends on the last folio, on number 102.

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 Muscat Political Agency for 1885-86.’ [‎101v] (116/120), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/V/23/49, No 220, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023581614.0x000076> [accessed 18 April 2024]

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