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File 234/1917 'Muscat trade reports. (1911-1924)' [‎104v] (217/428)

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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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2
The rupee, which weighs one tola, and the dollar,
of which the weight is called “ Aukia,” are used
for weighing drugs and perfumes. One “ Aukia
equals eight miskals.
Measures (Linear).
1 Shibr = 1 hand of 4i inches.
4 Shibrs ■=■ 1 dhira’ or cubit.
4 Dhira’s ~ 1 ba’ or fathom.
Population.
Muscat is generally said—for no statistics are
available—to contain about 10,000 and Matrah about
14,000 people. But these figures are probably now
too high. Trade has been steadily declining for
several years. Heavy rains during the winter of
1915-16 brought many houses down, of which only
a few have been rebuilt, and a visitor to either town
would take away the impression that the place was
half in ruins. As eastern towns go, Muscat and
Matrah are not remarkably dirty, but both are in
the extreme squalid and mean, a large proportion
of the inhabitants being housed in nothing better
than reed huts. Inland, Oman is for the most part
mountainous and the people are poor. The popula
tion of the Sultanate has been estimated at about
half a million, of whom not less than 30,000 must
be nomads.
Public health.
Muscat is hot, but not very unhealthy. May and
June are hot and dry. The nights are especially
bad, offering only an alternative between absolute
airlessness and fiery blasts from the Arabian deserts
and the torrid rocks amid which the town stands.
The thermometer not infrequently stands above
100° F. all night. In July the prevailing wind
shifts from the North and West to the South-East.
The temperature drops fifteen degrees or more, but
this is made up for by a great increase of damp.
If, for a moment, the breeze fails, the place becomes
intolerably muggy and close. This lasts about
three months and then the climate cools off, but
even in winter the air is not cold enough to be
bracing. The highest temperature recorded in the
year was 114 , 9° and the lowest 56-8 0 F. There
was no outbreak of small-pox, plague, cholera or
other epedemic in 1915-16.
Agriculture.
Agriculture, chiefly date-growing, is the staple
industry of Oman. But its methods, like most
other tilings in the country, are altogether primi
tive.
Government.
Government is of the true oriental type
tempered by Treaty for the benefit of British
subjects, over whom the local authorities have
waived jurisdiction. Cases against these are tried
by His Britannic Majesty’s Consul on principles of
law adapted from British India. Cases against
Muscat subjects are decided by the Sultan and his
Walis, where any such hold authority. Q az ; g
also administer Muhammadan Law, but commer
cial law cannot be said to exist, and claims
against Muscat subjects often remain without satis,
factory An East India Company trading post. settlement for a very long time or perhaps
indefinitely.
Language.
The language of the country is Arabic; many
persons in Muscat and Matrah speak Persian
Baluchi and Hindustani. Business communications
can, however, be sent in English. A Post and
Telegraph Office at Muscat have been established
by the Indian Government, primarily for the
convenience of British subjects. There is no local
postal service either inland or along the coast.
Customs Administration.
Reciprocal commercial treaties have been
executed by the rulers of Oman with France and
Great Britain. In accordance with the terms of
these all goods imported into Oman are liable to an
import tax of 5 per cent, ad valorem as determined
by the price current in the local market. The
chief Customs House is at Muscat and the whole
system is administered for His Highness the Sultan
by a British Indian Superintendent. But owing
to lack of communication control of the Customs in
the outlying coa^t towns is very difficult, and the
figures of the department, on which this report is
in part based, must be accepted with caution. The
import duty may be paid in kind at the option of
the importer.
No export duty is leviable, but, as a matter of
convenience, an impost at 5 per cent., which it is
customary to call an internal transit duty, is taken
when dates are exported, on the theory that this is
afterwards recovered from the grower.
All arrangements for the landing and shipping
of goods at Muscat and Matrah are in the hands of a
syndicate of Arab merchants, whose management
appears to cause fewer complaints than were usual
before they were appointed.
Roads and Communications.
All that has been said on this subject in earlier
reports remains true. There are no roads or wheeled
traffic. Under a system of tribal protection, known
as “ Kifarat,” Arab date buyers are able to move
about the country in pretty fair safety without
large escorts, although they carry considerable sums
of money, to pay for their purchases. But the
authority of the Sultan does not at present extend
to many places inland and in the existing state of
affairs no European trader could venture beyond the
coast.
Total Trade.
The record of the trade of Muscat this year, as
in f* rmer years, shows a great excess of imports over
exports. While the arms trade flourished, this was

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)' [‎104v] (217/428), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/647, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100070081660.0x000012> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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