'File 27/4 Miscellaneous Trade Reports' [‎122r] (248/702)

5
Box Boards (Shooks) : —-No box boards came
from America during the year and of wLat
appears in these returns Sweden sent Rs. 22,780
worth box boards and the rest came from
Germany.
Articles not specified The increase shown
under this head is due to the inclusion of various
articles of Military rations imported from India
for the U'-e of the Indian troops stationed at
Baital Falaj in the vicinity of Muscat.
Imports by sailing vessels : —The import
trade carried by sailing craft during the year
remained stationary showing an increase of
Rs. 6,886 which calls for no special comment. The
principal item of import under “ Sailing craft is
rice. It shows increased import of Rs. 43,906
and the reason is the same as that given for
increased imports of rice under imports by steam
vessels.
A passing glance at the returns under “ Sailing
vessels ” will show that the imports under a good
many heads have suffered during the year but
as they are comparatively of little importance
no detailed explanation is necessary.
EXPORTS.
Total exports : —The total value of export
trade for the year amounted to Rs. 40,73,044
showing a falling off of Rs. 4,49,119 or 11 per
cent, as against the increase of the last year of
Rs. 1,66 357. The exports by steam vessels have
suffered to the extent of Rs. 5,86,818 or 15 per
cent., while the exports by sailing craft have
improved and show the respectable increase of
Rs. 1,37,699 or 48 per cent. The decrease of
Rs. 5,86,916 noticed above is entirley due to less
export under “ Specie ” which item alone shows a
decrease of Rs. 5,96,788 or nearly 55 percent, and
the increase noted under a sailing craft is due to
the increased smuggling carried in Bar Silver which
item shows an increased export of Rs. 1,99,OOU
or 83 per cent.
Arms and ammunition :—Of the value of
Rs. 4,17,861 were exported during the year. Of
the total export appearing in these returns the
Kuwait share was Rs. 91,373 and Muhammerah
and Bunder Abbas together took Rs. 1,03,469 worth
of arms and ammunition. An item of Rs. 96,900
appears under Belgium. This represents the value
of arms and ammunition re-shipped to Belgium
by French merchants. There is another item
of Rs. 51,000 under Jibouti which also represents
value of goods re-shipped by the French arms
dealers. The exports to Kuwait and Persia were
covered by Government sanction.
It will be observed that the export of arm
and ammunition for the year is double that of
imports. The explanation of this is that there
were large stocks in the Arms Warehouse from
last year's imports.
Fish;—The export of dry sardines has improv
ed and shows the respectable increase of Rs. 31,468
over last year's figures but it will be noticed that
there is a corresponding decrease of Rs. 26,627
under Dry and Salted Fish. Owing to the
disturbed state of the country the fish industry
also suffered as merchants were compelled to sus
pend their business.
FRUIT.
Dates, dry; —Dry dates of the value of
Rs. 7,37,495 were exported to India during the
year showing an increase of Rs. 1,27,595 or 17 per
cent, as against the decrease of Rs. 2,16,09 7 of the
previous year. The demand for dry dates in India
was great in the beginning of the season and
merchants shipped largely anticipating big profits.
Wet dates; —Have suffered to the extent of
Rs. 88,404 or ) 1 per cent, as against the increase
of Rs. 70,452 of the last year. Of the total export
Rs. 7,71,181 United States of America took her
usual quota amounting to Rs. 3,87,760 and
India's share was Rs. 3,31,917, the balance going
to Aden and other ports. The date crop was
reported good and notwithstanding the disturbed
state of the country Muscat was able to export
dates (dry and wet) of the value of Rs. 15,08,676,
or in other words Rs. 39,191 were more than
she did in the previous year, the total export of
which year amounted to Rs, 14,69,485.
Pomegranates ;—This has improved greatly
showing the increased export of Rs. 17,111 or
23 per cent, as against the decrease of Rs. 17,540.
Specie;—As noticed above this one item alone
has suffered the extent of Rs. 5,96,788 or nearly
55 per cent. The reason for this great loss is not
very clear but it is said that it is due to the disturb
ed state of the country. Merchants imported less
and therefore specie remittances, w'hich principally
go to pay for goods imported, were fewer and
smaller than in the previous year. Of the total
specie exported during the year, viz., Rs. 10,86,133,
Arab Coast took Rs. 5,49,200 as against
Rs. 5,24,650 of the previous year and India
lis. 4,75,933, or in ether words India took
Rs. 6,19,538 less than she did during the last
year.
TEXTLIE FABRIC.
(Muscat manufacture) ;—This trade has held
it own and although the interior of the cot ntry