Page 347 - PERSIAN 4 1890_1899

RESIDENCY and maskat political agency por the year 1895-96. 51

Part IY.

Trade,

Tho returns of trade of Maskat cannot be considered strictly accurate, as
the figures given are those obtained from the customs farmer and which are
impossible of proper check.
The total trade of the year is estimated at $3,708,210 against $3,708,180 for
the preceding year. If specie be deducted from the totals the trade of Maskat
for 1895*96° shows an increase of $135,030 as compared with the previous
year.
Excluding specie exports show an increase of $215,870. The chief increase
in imports is shown as due to goods arriving from Europe and also, but in a
less degree, from India and the Persian Gulf.
A comparison of the imports and exports will 6how that local consumption
does not claim the whole of the imports, but that Maskat still retains a posi­
tion as a port of entry and distribution for the Oman and Pirate Coasts. This
however is in a much less degree than in past years when the fact that mail
and other steamers did not make many places in the Persian Gulf regular ports
of call, naturally tended to make Maskat a larger distributing centre than is
now the case.
Under the head of exports, of items which show an increase as compared
with the previous year, cotton fabrics account for S70,000. This was due to
the increased demand in the African Coast and in Madagascar for cloth of local
manufacture. This increased demand for cloths of local manufacture also
accounts for the increased importation of twist from India.
Dates account for $00,000 due to the restoration of peace and the resump­
tion of trade with the interior.
As regards imports rifles and ammunition imported show a very lanre
increase during the year underreport and account for about 53 per cent, of the
total increase of trade during the past year. Owing to the prohibition of the
import of arms into Persia, arms are imported into Maskat, and though large
quantities arc distributed iu Oman and the Pirate Coast, a very large proportion
are said to find their way iuto Persia in native craft.
Cotton stubs from India show an increase of $10,000 as compared with
the previous year. This is said to be in a great part due to the fact that in the
previous year, the rebels when in occupation of Maskat, looted most of the
shops of the cloth-merchants, and hence a demand was created in this manner,
and was further increased owing to the restoration of peace iu Oman during
the year under report, and the resumption of trade with the interior which
nad ceased for some months during the previous year.
Persian wheat having been cheap, a large demand arose for this article,
w iicu to a certain extent took the place of rice, the price of which was higher
than in previous year.
Chief amongst the articles which show a decrease as compared with previous
years arc pearls, due to the fact that steamers calling regularly at Bahrain take
the pearls from there instead of from Maskat. Since Bahrain has become the
centre of the Gulf pearl-trade, Maskat trade in this article may be said to
“ave practically died out.

F. G. BEVILLE,
Her Britannic Majesty's Political
jig cut and Consul, Haskat.