‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1899/1900’ [282v] (38/150)
The record is made up of 1 volume (60 folios). It was created in 1900. 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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30 ADMINISTEATION EE PORT ON THE
PERSIAN GULF
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
POLITICAL
who wore very regular in reporting symptoms as they developed and who were the only t W o
communities capable of appreciating in an intelligent manner the value of our treatment, for in
the case of the majority of the other persons who were treated no intimation whatever of the
progress of the disease was received after the issue of the first dose or doses of medicine. If
we, therefore, restrict our calculation to the result obtained among the Khojas and Hindus
only, we find that there were only 7 deaths among the 31 persons that received treatm ant
giving 1 a ratio of 22-6 per cent, of deaths to treated, whilst among the others that were treated
there was a death-rate of 48 per cent., nearly equal to the general death-rate (507 per cent.)
and only slightly less than the death-rate (52 per cent.) among the persons that were not
treated. Exception, however, may be taken to tlie result among the Hindus being included
in the comparison on the ground cf the smallness of the number of the cases among them and
the fact of their having been the last two cases in the epidemic, but even if we exclude them
from this calculation we have still the highly favourable result of 7 deaths among the 29
Khojas that were treated, that is to say, a ratio per cent, of 34' 1 deaths to treated.
When the disease began to assume epidemic proportions, I advised strongly the takino-
Prophylactic treatment. of a dose (m. xx) of dilute sulphuric acid in an
4. 4. 4.w -41,r ei °" n . ce ,. 1 ^ ater eve 'y mornir 'g:' a ad it is gratifying
to not now that with the exception of two Khoja children in the Khoja f ^rt, none of those
who followed this advice suffered fiom the disease, though it must be stated that the maioritv
of them at least in Maskat were not directly exposed to infection. The members of the
menial establishment of 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.
's Office, who were all given a dose of sulphuric
acid every morning were, however, differently situated, many of them havino-had cases of
cholera in their houses or in their immediate neighbourhood, and although they were thus
directly exposed to infection, they all escaped; but their number is too small for the result
of the prophylactic treatment among them to be considered of any importance as a test of its
value. The other prophylactic measures that were strongly recommended were the boilintr
of all water for domestic purposes, and the addition, if practicable, of a littla solution of
permanganate of potash to it.
Soon after the appearance of the epidemic it began to manifest its influence on the general
, population by causing an unusual prevalence of
Cholerine or premonitory diarrhoea. diarrhoea. ^ idea can be formed even approxi-
,, i i • j i, i "i. i. xi x- m i atel 7 of number of such cases as no informa
tion could be obtained about it at the time, the people generally looking upon it as a trifling
affection and falling to realize the danger of its proving to be a precursory symptom of!
much graver disease. There can however, he no douht that some of these cases cventuallv
developed symptoms of true cholera, though from the return of such oases as applied for
treatment in Matrah, their proportion appears to be small. Out of 77 cases of dia,rl TO a that
were treated m Matrah only 10 subsequently developed true cholera with one death The
number of oases treated in Maskat was 24. The treatment of these cases consisted'in the
administration of astringent powders composed of Pnlv. Oatechu Co. and Bismuth album •
and m only a few mstancee after the failure of these powders to oheol: the diarrhcea it was
necessary to give a dose or two of Pil. Plumb, c. opio. aiai rDcea, it was
When cholera first broke out in Gwadur and threatened to invade Maskat, repeated and
t , ^ . urgent representations were made to the local
Preventive and sanitary measures. authorities with a view, to the re-imposition of
xr t,* i' quarantine on vessels arrivino* from that oort; And
Karachi, as a preventive measure, but the seriousness of the situation wa? then evidentlv not
sufficiently realized. Similarly when the disease first broke out in the Jabnt quarter of Matrah
tTtlTteea e 8 r It W ' 50 I that r me!,SUreS Wl ' atever were taken prevent the sptad-
invade Maskat tha^' the first Rfer!^ f " aSsumed epWemic proportions and threatened to
mv recommendaftinn A a tl? Awards any measures likely to eradicate it was taken at
the b X cM ouartr of wtLh V ?K f^i . ori f" all y confined to the suburb of Jabru and
the oamcm quartei of Matrah, both of which localities were supplied with drinkin^ water
iXtiorlnd I The ef ^ P re ! u "P'' 011 , . wa8 great that the water was the source of
potash This reoommand I-' the ^'nfection of the well with permanganate of
potash. 1 his recommendation had to be extended to all the wells in Matrah and Maskat
ra&fdL to lutTa^oTJrT 8 ' t0r b J^ e 'rV Wa8 — d into " ^
extentlecl to all the parts of the town and had also broken out in Maskat.
people brinp^n^it^f* 6 ^^ 611 ^ 6 ^ ^ " lter ^ 01 t ^ ere wa s great danger of caravans and other
recommendation 1 „ g and causing fresh centres of infection, to ward off which, at my
my advice to the personal disinf V e " f 0r ) of its impracticability, I confined
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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 Muskat [Muscat] Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for 1899-1900, 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. 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 divided up into a number of sections and subsections, as follows:
Part 1, is a General Summary (folios 268-71) written 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. , Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm John Meade:
- Section 1: entitled General , includes: a report on the year’s rainfall and harvest; the Governorship of Bushire; public peace and tranquillity in and around Bushire; public health and measures to restrict cholera and the plague in the Gulf; Persian currency; customs house arrangements in Bushire; compensation claims; and the Resident’s tours through the region during the year;
- 2: Oman – Muscat: including: a change in personnel, with the role of 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. being taken over by Captain Percy Zachariah Cox from Major Christopher George Forbes Fagan; the Sultan of Muscat’s finances; French proposals to construct a coal depot in Muscat; use of the French flag by Muscat vessels; association of the French flag with the arms and slave trades; the impact of cholera and plague in the region;
- 3. Oman – Pirate coast, including: a list of the those shaikhs in the region who have met with the Resident in the past year; Arab-Persian relations over Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh], and the expulsion of Persians from that port; the discovery of a large pearl at Kumzār and its subsequent sale for a lower-than-expected price; the prevalence of smallpox on the Arab coast;
- 4. Bahrain, including: the wounding of two British-Indian subjects; difficulties discharging cargoes in Bahrain; and the death of Aga Muhummad Rahim, the Native News Agent in Bahrain;
- 5. El-Nejd, with no report due to the recommendation that no one be deputed to travel there;
- 6. Koweit [Kuwait]: no particulars reported;
- 7. Persian Arabistan: the navigation of the Kārūn river, and opening up of river and land routes for trade;
- 8. Fars and Persian coast: Bandar-e Lengeh in Persian hands; the arrival of the British Vice-Consul for Bunder Abbas [Bandar-e ʻAbbās];
- 9. Persian Baluchistan: delays in compensation claims against the murder of Mowladad Khan; a change in the Directorship of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Telegraphs Department; rumours of a revolt against the Shah in Persian Baluchistan;
- 10. Slave Trade: numbers of slave captured and manumitted during the year;
- 11. Piracy: cases of piracy reported during the year, with details of where and against whom they were committed;
- 12. Navy: details of the movements of British naval vessels (Sphinx, Lapwing and Pigeon) and significant foreign vessels, including Russian warship Gilyak;
- 13. Official Changes: changes in British personnel;
- 14. Changes among foreign representatives, with particular reference to German, French and Dutch representatives.
An appendix to part 1 (folios 272-75) includes statistical tables comprising meteorological data for the region; dispensaries in Bushire and data for the numbers of patients, diseases, surgical operations and income and expenditure of 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. dispensary.
Part 2 (folios 276-78) is a separate report from the Muscat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , written by Cox, with reports on events in Muscat, Rostak [Rustāq], Sohar, Soor [Sur], and Dhofar [Z̧ufār], including: accidental shootings by Wahabee [ 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. ] tribesmen; the appearance in Muscat of cholera and the plague; British and foreign naval movements in Muscat; and a statistical overview of manumission applications heard at the agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. .
Appendix A to Part 2 (folios 278v-85) is a detailed report with statistical data on the cholera epidemic in Muscat and Oman, written by the Lieutenant-Colonel Atmaram Sadashiv Jayakar, Chief Surgeon at Muscat. Jayakar’s report contains historical data on outbreaks of cholera in Muscat, symptoms of the disease, mortality statistics, treatment and its results, preventative and sanitation measures. Civil hospital and dispensary statistics follow on folios 285v-287v.
Part 3 (folios 288) is a trade report of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for 1899, written by Meade. Its appendices (folios 289-328) comprise tables showing the value of all goods imported and exported to and from various parts of the Gulf region, and the numbers of vessels (with figures on tonnage) of various nationalities plying their trade in the region in each port.
Part 4 (folios 329-30) is a separate trade report with statistical data for Muscat for 1899-1900.
Part 5 (folios 331-35) is a trade report for Mohammerah [Khorramshahr] and the Kārūn river for the year 1899.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (60 folios)
- Arrangement
The report is arranged into a number of sections and subsections, with statistic data in tabular format directly following written sections. There is a contents page at the front of the report (f. 267) which lists the report’s contents in alphabetically ascending order, and refers to the report’s own pagination sequence.
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- Reference
- IOR/V/23/77, No 379
- Title
- ‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1899/1900’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 265r:335v, i-r:ii-v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence