Page 419 - PERSIAN 4 1899_1905

RESIDENCY AND MASK AT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR TIIE YEAR 1902-1903. 13

Before the Durbar broke up the Government of India wore pleased to de­
corate Saiyid Taimoor with tlie Gold Delhi Durbar Commemoration Medal.
After leaving Delhi on 12th January Saiyid Taimoor and party proceeded
direct to Bombay, where a fortnight was spent while communications passed
with His Highness the Sultan regarding a proposed tour to Agra, Aligarh and
Calcutta. In the meanwhile, at his father’s wish, Saiyid Taimoor visited his
great uncle, Saiyid Abdul Aziz, at Boona, and Saiyid Abdul Aziz subsequently
journeyed to Bombay for a few hours to return his nephew’s visit. On 20tli
January the party left for Agra where three days were spent seeing the sights
of the'neighbourhood. From Agra a short excursion was made to Aligarh,
Saivid Taimoor having been invited by the Principal and Council to pay a
\i>i’t to the Saiyid Ahmed M. A. O. College. A long morning was spent there
and the party were received with much kindness and distinction by the College
authorities, and appeared to he greatly interested and impressed by what they
saw ; in the afternoon a start was made for Calcutta, where another week was
spent and various places of interest visited, by the end of which it was time to
think of returning to Maskat, which was reached safely on 18th February. It
is certain that the whole party thoroughly enjoyed their tour, especially Saiyid
Taimoor, who displayed much intelligence and good sense under the novel
surroundings, and there can be no doubt that besides the pleasure which he
derived from what he saw both at Delhi and afterwards his experiences have opened
his mind considerably and will leave upon him a lasting impression for good.
On his safe return 11 is Highness the Sultan fired a salute of 21 guns as a
mark of his acknowledgments to Government for their entertainment of his
deputation and this was followed by a salute of 13 guns in honour of Saiyid
Taimoor.
At Maskat Durbar Day was appropriately celebrated. A salute of
101 guns was fired and the Union Jack llown from the Sultan’s saluting battery
from sunrise to sunset and His Highness with his usual suite called officially at
the British Consulate to olVer his congratulations, as did the representatives of
Foreign Powers. The members of the British Indian Communities closed and
illuminated their shops in honour of the occasion and deputations of the several
persuasions called at the Consulate to express their congratulations and loyalty
to the crown. A telegram was at the same time sent by them to the Govern­
ment of India for favour of transmission to His Majesty the King conveying
similar expressions of congratulation and loyalty.
11. Customs.—His Iliuhness still continues to administer his own Customs General.
and has during the year under report resumed the direct administration of tlie
Gwedur Customs also. The revenue of the Oman Customs has this year touched
the highest figure that has yet been reached, there being an increase of one
million dollars in the value of the trade as compared with last year.
The items which have mainly contributed to this substantial improvement
will he seen from the trade statistics. It is worthy of remark here, however,
that the large increase in the date export was mainly due to the Turkish
Arabian crop having been a poor one, resulting in the transfer of part of the
Gulf demand to Maskat.
It is satisfactory to he able to report that the work inaugurated last year in
connection with the improvement of the Custom House premises has been
continued by the local Government. The wharf, which was quite inadequate
for the accommodation required, has now been enlarged by baking in more of the
lore shore and roofed sheds have moreover been erected on it for the better
protection of merchandise from the cloments. At the same time suitable offices,
and warehouses for the storage of goods are in the course of erection, and when
finished will much improve the appearance and utility of the premises (which
have for years lain in a most dilapidated condition), to a very considerable
degree. Owing to the difficulty of obtaining suitable building material locally
and also no doubt in order to carry on the work with as little financial strain
upon himself as possible, progress cannot bo as rapid as the Sultan would
wish, hut lie is to be congratulated on tho inception of a work of real public
utility.
The Steamer, Nur-ul-Bahr, late Richard Grech of 295 ton9 gross register
wliich the Government of India lately purchased for His Highness Saiyid FeisaL
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