'File 27/4 Miscellaneous Trade Reports' [‎284r] (572/702)

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Report on the Trade of Muscat for the year 1928-29.
Introduction.
Muscat is the capital of the independent Sultanate
of that name situated at the easterly corner of Ara
bia. Its seaboard is nearly 900 miles long and
extends from Tibbat on the west side of Cape Mussen-
»am round Ras Sajit rather over 200 miles due
north of the island of Socotra, with the exception
of a small strip on the east coast of the Mussendam
peninsula from Dibbah to Khor Khalba which is
in the administration of the minor chiefs of Trucial
f Oman. The Sultanate extends inland to the borders
of the Great Desert but of late years the Omanis
have become virtually autonomous and are now
more subject to the Imam of Oman and his lieu
tenant Shaikh Isa bin Salih than to His Highness
the Sultan of Muscat and Oman. The interior is
for the most part mountainous, the high country
extending down to the sea coast in a series of arid
rocky heights though vegetation exists on the higher
mountains. North-west of Muscat the sea coast
littoral tract is fertile and prosperous and date groves
extend along it for over 100 miles. This strip is
known as the Batineh coast and it is to here that
the hillmen from Oman, finding the struggle for
existence too keen in the face of a decreasing water
supply, are gradually descending and forcing out
the date and fisher folk. The remainder of the
coast with one notable exception is barren and
forbidding and rarely visited by Europeans. The
exception is Dhofar which is the name of a small
fertile district comprising a group of villages at
the south-west corner of the Sultanate. Gwadur,
a port on the Mekran Coast, and a small tract of
country round it also owns allegiance to Muscat.
It is the last remnant of the Omani possessions on
the Persian side of the Gulf.
The town of Muscat, once so important and
prosperous has been falling into decay for years now.
Most of the trade goes to the sister port of Mattrah
which is the starting point of the trade route to the
interior, but Muscat still remains the capital and
seat of Government.
Currency.
The currency of the country is the Maria Theresa
dollar and the copper coin minted in 1895 to the
order of His Highness the Sultan. In Muscat and
Mattrah, sovereigns, Indian currency notes and
Indian rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. are generally accepted.
The Maria Theresa dollar fluctuates in value con
siderably being affected by the world price of silver,
by the local demand in the date season, and by the
state of the Bahrein pearl market.
Trade accounts are kept in Mohamadis and Gajh
imaginary coins. There are two kinds of Moha
madis—black and white. Black 20^=1 dollar and
white 11£=1 dollar. The white is used in whole
sale trade accounts and the black for fruits, vege
tables, etc. Most hundis from India show their
face value in Mohamadis and not in rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. .
20 Gajh .
11$ Mohamadis
100 Mohamadis
1 Mohamadi.
1 dollar.
1 Toman 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. .
The average rate of monthly exchange between
the Maria Theresa dollar and the rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. varied from
Rs. 125 to Rs. 13T5 per 100 dollars, the lowest
being in March 1929 and the highest in October 1928.
The dollar rate fluctuated from Rs. 123*5 to
Rs. 13T00 per 100 dollars. It was lowest in March
1929 and highest in October 1928.
Weights and Measures.
The weights used in the Customs Department
are prescribed in Muscat, Mattrah and the Coast
towns.
They are :—
1 Kiyas . _ .
24 .
10 Muscat Maunds .
- 200 _ „
The weight of 6 dollars or
6-9375 ozs.
Muscat Maund."
Farasala.
Bahr.
Rice is sold by the bag ; other cereals by the
following measures :— A
40 Palis .
20 Farrahs
1 Farrah.
1 Khandi.
The rupee which weighs one tola and the dollar
of which the weight is called “ Auqia ” are used for
weighing drugs and perfumes. One “ Aukia ” equals
eight “ Misqals.”
Measures (Linear).
1 Shibr .
4 Shibrs .
4 Dhiras .
1 Hand or 4$ inches.
1 Dhira or cubit.
1 Bah’ or fathom.