File 234/1917 'Muscat trade reports. (1911-1924)' [‎5r] (18/428)

* REPORT ON THE TRADE OF MUSCAT FOR
THE YEAR 1923-24.
Introduction.
Muscat is the capital of the independent Sultanate
of that name situated at the easterly corner of
Arabia. Its seaboard is nearly 900 miles long and
extends from Tibbat on the west side of Cape Mus-
sendam round Ras Sajir 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
peninsular from Dibbeh to Khor Kalba which is the
administration of the minor Chiefs of Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .
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 lieutenant
Shaikh Isa bin Saleh than to His Highness the Sultan
of Oman. The interior is for the most part mountain
ous, 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 pros
perous and date groves extend along it for over 100
miles. This strip is known as the Batinah Coast and
it is to here that the hillmen from Oman finding the
struggle for existenc too keen in the face of a de
creasing 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 the 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 pros
perous has been falling into decay for years now.
Most of the trade goes to the sister port of Matrah
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
Matrah sovereigns, Indian Currency notes and Indian
r upees are generally accepted.
The Maria Theresa dollar fluctuates in value
considerably, being affected by the world price ef
silver, by the local demand in the date season, and by
the state of the Bahrain pearl market.
Trade accounts are kept in Mohamadis and Gajh,
imaginary coins. There are two kinds of Mohatoadis
—black and white. Balck 20|= 1 dollar, and white
11£= 1 dollar. The white is used in wholesale trade
accounts and the black for fruit, vegetables, 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 . . . . =1 Moharaadi.
11J Mohamadis . . . =1 dollar.
100 Mohamadis . . . =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 rupee varied from
Rs. 167 to 186-6 per 100 dollars, the lowest being
in March 1923 and the highest in July 1923.
The dollar rate fluctuated from Rs. 167 to 186-6
per 100 dollars. It was highest in July 1923 and
lowest in March 1924.
Weights and Measures.
The weights used in the Customs department are
now prescribed for use in Muscat, Matrah and the
Coast towns.
They are : —
1 Kiyas
. . . .= the weight of 6
. dollars or 5-9375
07 . 8 .
24 Kiyas
. . . . = 1 Muscat Maund.
10 Mds.
. . . . — 1 Farasala.
200 Mds.
. . . . = 1 Bahar.
Rice is sold by the bag ; other cereals by the
following measures :—
40 Palis . . . . = 1 Farrah.
20 Farrahs . . . . = 1 Khandi.
The rupee which weighs one tola, and the dollar
of which the weight is called “ Aukia ” are used for
weights drugs and perfumes. One Aukia equals
eight Miskals :—
1 Shibr .
4 Shibrs
4 Dhiras
Measures (Linear)
. . . = 1 Hand of 4£ inohe*-
. . , = 1 Dhira or cubit.
. . . *= l Ba’ or Fathom.