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'Report on the Administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for the year 1877-78.' [257r] (59/165)
The record is made up of 1 volume (81 folios). It was created in 1878. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
AND MUSCAT POLITICAL
AGENCY
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
FOR THE YEAR 1877-78.
37
Oysters.
32. Pearl-bearing oysters are here divided into three classes, called
“Zinni,” Sudait'ee, and Mabar, respectively; of these the Mahar contains
the best pearls, and is found in deeper water than the others.
The Sudaifee comes next, which is a longer shell than the Mahar,
does not produce such a white or heavy pearl, but one that is said to
improve by keeping. The neighbourhood of Ras-el-Jubal is famed for
these.
The Zinni are the least esteemed, the pearl is said to be lighter and
liable to spoil by a change of colour, an accident from which the Mahar
is said to be free, but the Zinni shell has come into great demand during
the last three years, in consequence of a rage for pearl ornaments in
Europe, and large fortunes have been lately made; three years ago you
could buy 100 maunds of 91b. the maund for 10 dollars at most. Now
100 maunds cost 60 dollars. This mussel must however not be
confounded with the large raother-o’-pearl shell which is really more
valuable from its greater size.
33. The manner in which the oyster (or mollusk more properly)
anchors himself, slips his cable, &c.,* is so well known that a descrip
tion would be superfluous. The divers assert that these cables are some
times of fabulous length, goingthrough the banks and re-appearing again
in a manner that would preclude all chance of following one up.
34. They say also that the oysters are invariably found open-
mouthed, but on the “scent” of the hand approaching them they close up.
35. Occasionally the diver comes upon a packed mass of oysters
which is called a “ Tabreh;” these clinging round and growing out from
each other may occupy a small space, but are invariably pearl-bearing,
and such a find will often make up for months of disappointments. Such
a lucky accident is not of very common occurrence.
This form of swarming was evidently known to Pliny, who quotes
other writers, setting forth a statement that the oysters lived in com
munities like bees under a chief of large size and venerable old age or
beauty, who took precautions against danger. That on this leader
being secured the lesser ones fell easy victims.
36. As to the generation of pearls, science has not yet arrived at
The food of pearl oyatera coneist, to have stron S claims to attention.
tons of these microscopic diotoms tjestuiiian, one turns witH pleasure to
mantle, and become nuclei of pearls. impregnated by dew drops, as mentioned
habit of the pearl oyster. Paragraph 12 of above-mentioned Tinncvelly lieport.
Pearls.
Extract, paragraph 13, Tinnevelly
Report.
any definite conclusion, but the theory
put forward by Dr. Kelaart would seem
by Pliny and others, theory devoutly believed in to this day by the
Arabs themselves.
* If wanted, reference should be made to the scientific description and notes on the
About this item
- Content
Administration report of 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 1877-78, published by Authority at the Foreign Department Press, Calcutta [Kolkata], 1878. The report is based on reports sent by the 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. (Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Charles Ross) 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 (Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Barrett Miles) to the Government of India. The report is preceded by a copy of a letter sent by Ross to Alfred Comyn Lyall, Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department, dated 8 July 1878, which enclosed the submission of the original reports.
The report is organised in a number of sections and subsections, as follows:
Part I: General Report, signed by Ross, and arranged under subheadings as follows: Oman; Arab Coast; Bahrein [Bahrain]; Nejd [Najd]; Province of Fars and the Persian Coast and Islands; Bushire; Coast from Bushire to Lingah [Bandar Lengeh]; Lingah; Bunder Abbass [Bandar Abbas]; Persian-Baloochistan [Baluchistan] Coast; Bassidore [Bāsaʻīdū]; Establishments; Slave-Trade; Appendices (including meteorological tables, notes on the Kara Aghach River by Dr Friedrich Carl Andreas*, the route from Bushire to Lar and Shiraz, and the route from Lar to Shiraz, the Persian Post Office and Foreign Postage, and tables of Persian money and measurements).
Part II: Report on trade of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for the year 1877, signed by Ross and arranged under subheadings, as follows: Effects of late war on the trade; Steam communication; Grain harvest; Scarcity of coin; Opium; Pearl fisheries; Impediments to development of trade in Persia; and appendices (including notes on the pearling industry by Captain Edward Law Durand, notes on date palm cultivation by James Charles Edwards, and 31 tables of trade statistics covering imports/exports from/to the various ports and settlements of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and between the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and India).
Part III: Administration report of the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , Muscat, for the year 1877-78, prepared by Miles and arranged under the following subheadings: Political; Official changes; Slave Traffic.
Part IV: Trade statistics for Muscat, prepared by Miles, and comprising of six tables covering imports, exports, and number and tonnage of vessels entering and leaving the port.
* Folio 246 - a map has been temporarily removed and replaced with a green sheet of paper noting its removal.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (81 folios)
- Arrangement
The report is arranged into four parts (I-IV).
- Physical characteristics
Pagination: The report has a pagination system which uses numbers printed in the top-left corner of versos and top-right corner of rectos.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/V/23/32, No 152
- Title
- 'Report on the Administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for the year 1877-78.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, 2r:2v, 232r:310r
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence