'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1423] (484/688)

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'OMAN SULTANATE
fnan East Africa, and partly minted by the Sultan at Masqat or for him in London.
During 1904, the value of 100 dollars fluctuated between 126 and 139 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. and the num-
of ber copper Masqat pice to the dollar varied from 220 to 270. In 1906-07 the dollar
exchange fluctuated between 1511 and 176 J. This instability of the silver exchange
occasions many shipments of specie between Masqat and Bombay and is unfavourable
to general trade.
Communications. —'See Routes in Arabia, 1915.
Navigation and harbours. —The navigation of the'Oman coasts is simple, and hidden
dangers are few ; but there is an almost entire deficiency of harbours and safe anchorag
es. The Elphinstone (Khor-ash-Sham) and Malcolm (Ghubbat Ghazirah) Inlets and
Dohat Haffah in Ruus-al-Jibal would make good harbours, but their position in a
wild and barren district renders them commercially valueless. There is not a single shelt
ered anchorage for vessels On the whole B&tinah coast. The coast of the Masqat District
possesses the best anchorages in 'Oman, viz., the bays of Matrah and Masqat and the
inlets of Bandar Jissah and Bandar Khairan ; but the first two are imperfectly sheltered,
and the others are badly situated with regard to internal communications. From Bandar
Khairan south-eastwards there is no sheltered anchorage till the Sur, Khor Jaramah
and Khor-al-Hajar creeks are reached near Ras-al-Hadd ; the first and third of these are
only accessible to native "boats, and the second, though well sheltered, cannot be entered
by vessels of more than 15 feet draft. The south-eastern coast of 'Oman is poor in
good anchorages ; indeed, excluding Ghubbat Hashish, the approaches to which are
not free from danger, and an indifferent anchorage at Ras Madrakah, there are none
until the complementary harbours of Murbat and Risut in the Dhufar District are reach
ed.
Political constitution. —The Government of 'Oman is a Sultanate or absolute monarchy
and the manner in which the present hereditary Sultanate has arisen out of an ancient
elective Imamate will appear from the chapter on the history of 'Oman in the first volume
of this Gazetteer. The title of Imam is inapplicable to the present ruler, who has
never qualified for the semi-religious dignity of the Imamate, and he is commonly men
tioned as the Saiyid. The term is not free from ambiguity however, for each member
of the ruling family is also a Saiyid, though not the Saiyid, and the term Sultan, though
possibly a British invention,* appears to be coming into the general use in the capital and
its vicinity.
General administration. —The Government of 'Oman is without system or efficiency,
and outside the districts of Masqat and Batinah the Sultan's authority is either precarious
or merely nominal. The Sultan is represented at a number of points by executive
officials styled Walis, who exercise their powers, according to the will of their master, to
the extent which the means at their disposal permit; and there are, at some less important
places, minor civil or military officials who receive their orders from the Wali nearest
them. The town of Masqat is ruled by the Sultan personally, but at Matrah there is a
Wali, the only official of that rank in the Masqat or head-quarters district. In Batinah
there are Walis at Sib, Barkah, Masna'h, Suwaiq, Khaburah and Sohar; and the Wali
of Sohar, whose charge is in some respects the most highly organised in the Sultanate,
is assisted by Deputy-Walis at Saham, Liwa and Shinas, each of whom is responsible for
a defined district and for certain specified villages. In the Hajar hills the Sultan has
Walis at Nakhl and Hisn Samail and outposts in charge of minor officials at 'Awabi,
Bidbid, Mizahit, Hibi, Haiyadh, and Durj-ash-Shikairi; the last three are subject to the
Wali of Sohar and the others to the Wali of Samail. In the Rustaq portion of Western
Hajar there exists what is practically an imperium in imperio, held by a distant relation
of the Sultan over whom he has no real control. On the coast of Eastern Hajar there are
Walis at Quryat and Sur and a post at Hadd under the Wali of Sur ; but the position of
the Sur Wali is extremely difficult, and at present he is to a large extent merely a spec
tator of events (1905). 'Araqi, close to 'Ibri, is the seat of a Wali and the Sultan's only
post in Dhahirah. In 'Oman Proper the Sultan has Walis at Izki and Nizwa besides a
post a Manah under the Wali of Nizwa, but his position in this district is insecure and im
plies no real control.
* If British, it may have had its rise in a misapprehension, the personal name of the ruler at the time of the
first two treaties between Masqat and the East India Company havinp: been Saiyid Sultan. It is noteworthy that
on the pice minted by Faisal-btn-Turki, or to his order, he is variously described as " Imam of Masqat and 'Oman,
" Sultan of Masqat and 'Oman " and " Sultan of 'Oman."