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‘Report on the administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for 1885-86.’ [‎102r] (117/120)

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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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 1885-86. 115
o£ tliechaoof the several miskals to each other at the present time, taking R25 as the value
of one Bombay " chao " is commonly stated as follows :—
R
1 Katr Chao = 125
1 Bahrein „ = 100
1 Bombay „ = 25
1 Poona „ = 22^
These relative values of the several " chao " may perhaps be nearly the true average pro
portion for pearls of all weights converted into the equivalent nominal weights of the respective
standards, but I think that the proportionate value which ought to be assigned to the Arab
^chao" should be somewhat greater. For, taking, e.g., a pearl weighing 74 grains English
=one Bombay miskal =330 chao at R25 per a chao ■" = B8,250 for the pearl. The same
pearl (as shown in the preceding paragraph) weighed by Katr weights =27i habbah =56
chao 24 dokra 90 mezoor at R125 per "chao " =R7,031; and if the usual stated proportion
(which is really true if certain weights are used) of 26 habbah = one Bombay miskal is taken,
then the same pearl = only S 6,400, from which it will be seen that if the Indian merchant
feels sure that he can sell the pearl he is bargaining for, at R25 per Bombay " chao," he will
be very safe in paying at the above relative prices per " chao," calculated from the Arab
weights for such pearl. {Note, —Pearls of the value of fi25 per Bombay " chao" are of very
fine quality.)
10. It has been before mentioned that brass sieves with holes bored in them of various
sizes, the holes in each sieve being of the same size in that particular sieve, are used to
separate the pearls into parcels of the same sized pearls in each separate parcel. Each pearl
merchant usually possesses a nest of such sieves, and a nest generally consists of 24 sieves,
the holes in the sieves of one nest, however, do not always correspond in size with the holes
in the sieves of another nest, but besides these sieves each pearl dealer has three others, the
holes of each of which are supposed to be of the same size as those in every other dealer's set
of three, and it is through the medium of these three sieves that the largest portion of the
pearls fished up are bought direct from the master of a boat which has made a haul, into
whose charge all the pearls fished up are given by the divers for disposal. Pearls just unable
to pass through the holes of the largest of these three sieves are called " Has/' those just
unable to pass through the second sieve are called " Batin," and those which come into or
pass through the third sieve are called " Dzel." The " Has," " Batin,"" and " Dzel" of a
haul are, when put into the market by the master of a pearl-fishing boat, inseparable as
articles for sale. They are sold, in the lump, by the mashad miskal, and its sub-divisions
(daniks), at the current market rate of the "tuman" {vide para. 4). For instance, if the
master of a pearl-fishing boat has a parcel of pearls of all sizes and qualities, he will first take
out all the pearls above the size of "Has" which he will sell by the "chao" of one or
other of the standard miskal weights; he will also take out some of the best quality pearls
of the " Bas " and " Batin " sizes for sale by the " chaothe remainder he will sell in a lump
by one or other of the mashad miskal weights. To explain the use of the mashad miskal,
we will suppose that the pearls to be sold in the lump by the mashad miskal, weigh 40
mashad miskals, that of these 4 miskals weight remain in the "Ras" sieve, 10 miskal
weight in the " Batin " sieve, and 26 miskals remain in or pass through the " Dzel " sieve.
We will also suppose that the current market price of pearls of the average quality contained
in these 40 miskals is R600 per " tuman" (= 100 mahomedees, vide para. 4); now the
invariable rate per mashad miskal
of " Has " pearls is 200 mahomedees
of "Batin" ,, is 100 ,,
of "Dzel" „ is 25 „
therefore in the parcel above described we have
4 miskals of 200 mahomedees = R4,800 @ R600 per tuman of 100 mahomedees
10 „ ICQ „ = 6,0(JO „ „ „
26 „ 25 „ = « 3,900 „ j, ??
Total „ 14,700 = price of parcel of pearls weighing 40
mashad miskais as above supposed.

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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.’ [‎102r] (117/120), 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_100023581614.0x000077> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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