File 234/1917 'Muscat trade reports. (1911-1924)' [‎86v] (181/428)

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trade since the merchant disposes of his commo
dities in what is really another commodity of
constantly changing' price. It occurs that he
may find that a transaction which on Monday
showed a profit has become by Wednesday a loss
since his imported goods have been purchased in a
stable currency.
The demand for the dollar is greatest in the
earlv autumn in the date season at which period
it normally attains its highest value. Since,
however, the price is affected by the exchange
rate at Aden, Bahrein, Koweit and other ports on
the coast of Arabia it becomes the object of the
attentioh of the speculating Hindu and Arab
Banker and traders, a fact which will be seen
from the tables of imports and exports.
The following table shows the rates of exchange
between the dollar and the rupee for every month
of the year : —
Month.
April .
. 132
per cent.
May .
. . 140
7 J
June .
. 149
)}
J uly ,
. 174
))
August
. . 144
f )
September .
. 141
)>
October
. 154
))
November .
. 153
»
December .
. 161
)>
January
1G8 to 173
)>
February
. 171
}>
March
. 168
f )
The copper coinage is as great a source of
trouble to the poorer classes, many of whom are
paid in rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. , as is the dollar to the merchant
class. The value being fixed on the dollar, swings
up and down with the price of silver and with the
demand for the dollar.
1 It is hoped that the Sultan will take the
necessary steps to provide a coinage more reliable
for trade purposes and not so subject to specula-
j tion.
irane accounts are kept in an imagin;
currency which has two denominations Gaz i
Mohammedi, there being two kinds of Mohs
medi, black and white.
u„wield y “ al ' e kept ° n the f °"-
20 Gaz—1 white Mohammedi.
11^ ^ hite Mohammedis= 1 dollar.
04 Black Mohammedis=l dollar.
To add to this confusion White Mohammedis ^
are used in reckoning wholesale accounts and
banking transactions while black Mohammedis
are used in local and retail transactions and in
the purchase of dates.
Bills of exchange drawn upon Muscat in India
are usually in Mohammedis.
#
Weights and Measures.
The weights used in the Customs Department
are now prescribed for use in Muscat or Muttra
and the coast towns.
They are : —
1 Kiyas = the weight of 6 dollars or 5-9375
Oz.
24 Kiyas = 1 Muscat Maund.
10 Maunds = l Farasala.
200 Maunds=l Bhar.
Rice is sold by the bag; other cereals by the
following measures —
40 Palis = 1 Farrah.
20 Farrah8 = 1 Khandi.
The rupee which weighs one tola, and the
dollar, of which the weight is called u Aukia,”
are used for weighing drugs and perfumei. One
“ Aukia ” equals eight miskals.
Measures [Linear).
1 Shibr = 1 hand of 44 inches.
4 Shibrs = 1 dhiru or cubit.
4 Dhiras= 1 ba’ or fathom.
Population and Country.
Muscat is stated to contain 10,000 inhabitants
and Muttra about 14,000, these figures being
rough estimates, since no statistics are avail
able. Trade has been declining for some
years. The port is no longer the distribut
ing centre for the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , while with
the stoppage of the Arms Traffic, a flourish
ing industry, disappeared. The town suggests
that it has" undergone a bombardment owing to
the dilapidated condition of its houses which year
bv vear get worse from want of repair. Of the
population comparatively few reside in good
houses, the great majority living in huts made
from the sticks and fronds of the tree which
provide their staple article of diet, the date
palm j the roofs of the huts are made of the
matting woven from the date leaf and the very
fishermen use the ends of the branches of the
same tree to make floats for their nets. Rice,
dates and the fish, which are plentiful on these