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'File 27/4 Miscellaneous Trade Reports' [‎285r] (574/702)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (347 folios). It was created in 12 Apr 1904-11 Jan 1933. 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. .

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animals, and is difficult, dangerous and expensive.
The rates depend upon the distance the goods have
to be conveyed and the difficulty of the journey.
The local Government is now constructing a road
to link up Muttrah with the Batineh Coast ports.
A road from Muscat to Mattrah is also under
construction.
Agriculture.
Date growing is the real industry of the country.
Limes and mangoes are also successfully grown,
l while pomegranates are the product of the Jebel
^Akhdar. Cereals are grown on a small scale and
could not be further developed owing to the limited
quantity of water available. Inadequate rainfall
in Oman for several years past has been the cause
of ruin for many date gardens ; wells have become
dry and brackish.
Shipping.
Steamers .—The usual statement showing figures
is attached to this report. 130 steamships of all
Nationalities entered and cleared the port during
the year, representing a net tonnage of 424439-48
and 84 sailing vessels with a tonnage of 10376-26.
Of the 130 steamships which entered the port, 8
were from the United Kingdom, 112 from India,
8 from Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , 1 Russian and one Italian
from ’Iraq.
The British India Steam Navigation Company,
Ltd., have maintained a weekly slow mail service
both from Bombay and Basrah. The fast mail
service which was discontinued during the war has
not been resumed since.
Freights .—The statement below gives the average
rates of freight:—
Per ton.
Population.
No regular census of the population of Muscat
and Mattrah has ever been taken. It is therefore
not possible to give exact figures. But it has recent
ly been estimated at 12,580, viz., 4,340 are in Muscat
and 8,240 in Mattrah. Owing to the dearth of
trade the Indian trading community which inhabit
ed the town of Muscat and handled 95 per cent of
the trade have disappeared and almost all their
business premises are empty and in ruins. The
second port of Mattrah, which has conveniences
and communication with the interior of Oman, is
now fairly well populated and its trade is much
improved as compared to previous years.
Public Health.
The climate of Muscat is extremely unhealthy
and the heat is excessive, especially at night. Tha
highest temperature recorded in the year was 110°
and the lowest 58-9°.
Rs. a. p. Rs. A. p.
Dry dates . .14 0 per bag 15 0 0
Wet dates in mat bags 1 0 0 „„ 15 0 0
„ „ „ boxes . 0 10 0 per box 15 0 0 (24 boxes)
Dry fish to Colombo ... 36 0 0 (per Cwt.)
Pomegranates . . 1 8 0 15 0 0
Dry Limes to Persian
Gulf . . .10 0 0 30 0 0
Wet dates to U. S. A.
(per ton of 40 cubit
feet) £ 3 10 0
or Rs. 46 8 0
G. P. MURPHY, Major,
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. and His Britannic Majesty's Consul,
Muscat,

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Content

This volume relates to the trade reports of various British agencies and consulates in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . The first folio of the volume contains a list of contents that is not entirely accurate. The volume does begin with a report entitled 'Report on the Trade of Oman, Bahrein [ sic ], and Arab Ports in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ', which is dated 12 April 1904; however, the remainder of the volume contains only the following trade reports:

  • trade reports for Bahrain for the financial years of 1904-1905, 1913-1914, 1916-1917, 1917-1918 and 1919-1920;
  • trade reports for Muscat for 1913-1914, 1918-1919, 1919-1920, 1921-1922 and up to and including 1931-1932.

Aside from these reports the volume consists of brief letters and memoranda between 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. , Kuwait, and his corresponding officers in the Gulf, which serve as evidence that the trade reports for the places listed in the contents were received by 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. , even though only the Bahrain and Muscat reports mentioned above are present.

Each report relating to Bahrain and Muscat provides a summary of the year's trade. Appended to each report are tables of statistics that contain details of imports and exports (i.e. quantities and values of goods) and shipping returns, not only for the year in question but also for the two preceding financial years.

Extent and format
1 volume (347 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 349; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'File 27/4 Miscellaneous Trade Reports' [‎285r] (574/702), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/5/79, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100039328817.0x0000af> [accessed 25 April 2024]

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