'A General Sketch of the History of Persia' [‎433] (480/636)

THE SEYYIDS OF MASKAT.
433
on produce passing up the Gulf in Arab bottoms,
revenue of land at Khamir and Minav in Persia, and of
sulphur mines at Khamir, and the salt of Hormuz : also
the duties at Bandar 'Abbas, Zanzibar, and the Seyyid's
other African possessions. In 1837, the imports at
Maskat, consisting chiefly of cloth and corn, were
valued at 3,300,000^ a year. The exports are dates,
madder, salt fish, and sharks' fins to China (for soup).
The population was about GOjOOO. 1
Sa'id, the Seyyid of Maskat and 'Oman, was tolerant,
just, and generous, and the merchants of every nation
were protected in his dominions. His revenue was
about 80,000/. a year, 20,000/. of which was derived
from the slave trade, and 40,000 slaves used to be sold
yearly at Zanzibar; yet, in August 1822, he signed a
treaty with Captain Moresby of H.M.S. ^Menai,' by
which the slave trade was abolished throughout his
dominions. The Seyyid Sa'id's favourite residence was
at Zanzibar, but he visited Maskat every two or three
years, until 1840, when Zanzibar became his permanent
place of residence. At length, after a very long reign,
during which he had maintained his friendship with
England unbroken, although, when attacked by the
WahMbis in 1832, we left him to his fate, he died in
1856. He was succeeded by his son the Seyyid Thu-
wainy at Maskat, and by the Seyyid Majid at Zanzibar. 2
1 The trade of Zanzibar in 1859 was valued at 1,664,577Z.
2 In a letter to Lord Aberdeen in 1844, the Seyyid Sa'id said that
he constituted his son KMlid to succeed him in Africa, and the
Seyyid Thuwainy in 'Oman. Khalid died in 1854, and in 1856
he appointed the Seyyid Majid to succeed him in Africa.
Disputes arose between the rulers of M askat and Zanzibar, which
F F
i
I
i
I