Page 796 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

62 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE
Tho price of dollars varied constantly during the year due to the fluctua­
tion of tho silver market.
Trail*.
The average monthly rates were :—
II H.
J anuary 25G per 100 dollars.
February 212 »
March 239-5
April . 22G n
May . 213
Juno . 193 >»
J uly 207 n
August • 208-2 >>
September . 206-2
•October 215 n
November 215 «
December 201 ;»
For the year ending 31st March 1920 imports, for Muscat and Muttra
only, amounted to Rs. 39,20,441- and exports to Rs. 43,15,0S0 as compared to
Rs. 43,49,471 and Rs. 36,34,842 last year. The total volume of trade therefore
remains about the same.
Trade is now almost entirely concentrated in British Indian hands, and
the Arab merchants of Sur are now the sole survisors of the enterprising
Omani traders of former days. Even the Arab merchants of the interior are
not traders in the true sense of the term, as they only buy and sell from the
Banians and Khojas of Muscat and Muttra who absolutely control prices and
supplies.
The lack of rain affected the date crop slightly, and tvc supply of fodder
and locally grown cereals seriously. The price of camels has gone down CO
per cent, duo to the lack of fodder and the poverty on the Trucial coast,
caused by the stagnation in the pearl market, which has greatly diminished the
demand.
The slump in prices at the end of the year resulted in merchants being
left with considerable stocks of rice which they had bought in anticipation of
the continuance of high price*. Tliero is therefore a momentary cessation of
imports, holders of stocks endeavouring to keep up prices by artificial scarcity
and so to save as much as possible of their losses. This combined with the
decreased purchasing power of tiie dollar duo to the fall in the exchange has
reacted somewhat hardly on the poorer classes.
There has been a remarkable decline in the trade and population of
Muscat during the year, at the expense of the neighbouring port of Muttra.
The trade of Muscat with the cessation of the arms traffic ha9 been confined
for some time to the supply of interior Oman and the Oman coast. For this
purpose Muttra is far better adapted than Muscat as it is in direct communica­
tion by caravan road with the interior and more suitable for sailing vessels.
Most of Muscat is now empty and in ruins and the value of house property has
greatly decreased, while the reverse i9 the case in Muttra.
Ichabod may well be added to the numerous names that adorn its red hot
rocks.
Monsieur Vadala, French Consul at Bombay, arrived hero on 2nd .December
and left with Monsieur Yvoneouon 20th December for Bombay.
The affairs of the French Consulate and Coal Depot have been wound
up and the depot leased to His Britannic
French interoiti.
Majesty's Government from 1st January
1921 for the period of a year.
Red. G, Van Peursem was in charge of the Mission. Doctor (Miss)
Hosmon and Miss Button were among
Amnrican Minion.
tho members of the mission. As usual
Rev. V. Peursem and Miss Hosmon went to India on their summer recess in