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File 234/1917 'Muscat trade reports. (1911-1924)' [‎50r] (108/428)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (210 folios). It was created in 13 Apr 1912-25 Mar 1925. 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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REPORT
ON THE
TRADE OF MUSCAT
for the year 1919-20 By E. L. Wingate, Esq., I.C-S*, His Britannic
Majesty’s Consul, Muscat.
Introduction.
Muscat is the capital and the chief port of the
Sultanate of Oman which theoretically stretches
from Dhofar on the southern coast of Arabia up
to Ras Musandam at the entrance to the Persian
Gulf.
Historically with a great past and once a port
of the first importance, modern trade conditions
and above all the introduction of steam have
reduced it to but a shadow of its former self.
Formerly due to its geographical position at the
entrance of tho Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and at the south
eastern corner of Arabia it formed a great intrepot
where goods brought from Basrah, India or
Africa could be off loaded to await the favour
able season of the year when they could be
carried on to their destinations. It became the
great distributing centre for the Gulf, and an
important port of call in the ludo-African trade.
The introduction of regular steamship services
up the Gulf killed Muscat, and though through
vested interests and the temporary prosperity
brought by the Arms Traffic, the town died hard,
at present with the cessation of the latter it is in
ruins and almost dead, the population numbers
less than 2,000, and the fact that it is still the
only port of call for steamers alone prevents its
extinction.
It is no longer a distributing centre except for
the small towns of the Oman coast and for
interior Oman, and even in this its place has been
largely taken by the neighbouring port of Muttra
which has always been the sailing vessel port
and which is the starting point for the caravan
roads to the interior. As has been stated in
previous reports every article brought to Muscat
for interior Oman must pass through Muttra.
Were steamers to call at Muttra in the
future instead of Muscat, it is possible the latter
would only exist as a name on the map.
Though entitled the Muscat trade report, this
report is in actuality a report upon the
trade of Oman in which the figures through
their known inaccuracy and the fact that they
refer only to Muscat are practically useless.
It may therefore possibly be of advantage in
this short introduction to attempt to give a
picture of the conditions prevailing, as other
wise the report is liable to give an entirely wrong
impression.
Oman is an exceedingly mountainous and
for Arabia very fertile country with a long coast
line, 3 large ports — from North to South Sohar,
Muscat — Muttra and Sur and a number of
small ones. Its population grows with great
skill dates of the first quality, a certain amount
of fruit such as mangoes, pomegranates and limes
with less skill, occasionally wheat and barley when
there is sufficient water, with no skill at all and
on the coast catches quantities of fish. These
articles and firewood are exported, and for them
there is a constant demand in India for the dates,
fish and pomegranates ; in other parts of / rabia
for dates, fruit and firewood and in the United
States for a special type of Muscat dates. In
return is imported rice which is the staple diet
of the Arab and piece goods with which he
clothes himself.
The trade of Muscat therefore is or should
be practically constant, varying only with the
price of silver and the rainfall. T here are no
openings for further trade. The people of the
interior are exceedingly primitive and enjoy a
Government differing little from that of the
Prophet s. As far as is known there are no miner
als that could be profitably worked. Agricul
ture could not be further developed due to the
limited quantity of water. Finance due to the
primitive method of trade and the necessity for
making advances on the date crop in a very'
insecure country, can only be carried on as it is
that is by the merchants themselves, and a bank

About this item

Content

The volume contains copies of the annual trade report on the trade and commerce of Muscat [Muscat and Oman] for the years 1911-12 to 1923-24 inclusive (except 1917-18 and 1920-21). The reports were prepared 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. and HBM's Consul, Muscat, and forwarded to the Government of India.

Each report includes an introduction giving general information concerning the state, and summaries of imports and exports; statistical tables of imports and exports, subdivided into principal commodities, and countries imported from/exported to; and returns of shipping. Principal imports include arms and ammunition, cereals, paints and colours, precious stones and metals, provisions, textile fabrics, tobacco, and miscellaneous; principal exports include cereals, fish, fruits, paints and colours, provisions, cotton goods, tobacco, and miscellaneous. The reports show some manuscript annotations, and the volume also contains some minutes and correspondence.

The file includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (210 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. The subject 234 (Muscat Trade Reports) consists of one volume only.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 207; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.

Written in
English in Latin script
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File 234/1917 'Muscat trade reports. (1911-1924)' [‎50r] (108/428), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/647, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100070081659.0x00006d> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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