Page 497 - PERSIAN 1 1873_1879 Admin Report1_Neat

AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR TUB YEAR 1H77-78. 129
Slave traffic.—No slaves are known to have been landed in Oman
during1 the year. Two Abyssinian boys imported by residents of Muscat
were seized oil board the British Steamer Rokcly and released. Their
owners were punished by the Sultan.

Part IV.
Trade.—The accompanying’ Returns show an increase in the trade
of the port for the p:ist year. The date harvest was not so good as the
year before, and a considerable fall in the exportation of this item appears.
An improvement is observable iu the quantity of rice imported this
year, but it is not up to the average. This was owing no doubt to the
effects of the famine in Madras.
The square-rigged vessels trading between Muscat and India are
being replaced by country craft. It is found that buggalows can perform
the voyage to Calcutta and back as easily and quickly as ships and
several successful voyages were made last year. A steady emigration ia
taking place from Oman to the young and thriving kingdom of Zanzibar,
and about 1,000 Arabs are known to have left the mother-country
during the year to permanently settle there. The superior security and
prosperity of the African Kingdom is quite sufficient to account for this
state of affairs.
The country has been visited during the year with heavy floods, and
the rainfall has been about four times the usual quantity. The general
effect has been beneficial.
The customs farm was sold during the year for §100,000.

(Sd.) S. B. Miles, Lieut.-Col.,
II. B. M.1* Polll. Agent and Consul, Muscat.