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VI. MUSCAT.
General.—Muscat is the capital of the independent Sultanate
of that name situated in the south-east corner of Arabia. It
possesses a seaboard nearly nine hundred miles long, which ex­
tends from Tibbat on the west side of Cape Mussendam to Ras
Sajir, some 200 miles due north of the island of Socotra. Inland
the territory of the Sultan extends to the borders of the Great
Desert, but of late years the Omanis of the interior have become
virtually autonomous.
The interior is mountainous and arid. North west of Muscat
the coastal plane is fertile and is planted with date groves for over
a hundred miles. With the exception of Dhofar, a small fertile
district in the south-west corner of the Sultanate, the remainder
of the coast is rocky and barren.

Gwadur, a port on the Makran coast on the northern side of
the Gulf, and a small tract of country round it, also owe allegiance
to Muscat.
The town of Muscat, once important and prosperous, has been
declining and falling into decay for a number of years. Trade has
largely been diverted to the sister port of Matt rah, from whence
starts the caravan route to the interior. There seems reason, too,
for supposing that the rise in prosperity of Dabai lias adversely
affected the trade of Muscat.

Government.—The Government is carried on by a Council of
Ministers who, with the exception of the Finance Minister—an
Englishman in the service of the Muscat State—are Arab. The
Government of India is represented by a Political Agent who is
also His Majesty’s Consul and who exercises jurisdiction over
British subjects.
Customs Tariff.—All goods imported into Muscat and Oman
are subject to an ad valorem duty of 5 per cent. No export duty
is levied but a charge of 5 per cent, is imposed on all dates and
other fruit exported from the interior.
Transport.—Inland transport is carried on by means of pack-
animals, and is difficult and expensive. Transport along the coast
is carried on by sailing vessels and is cheap.
Roads between Muscat and Mattrah and between the Battinah
and Mattrah coast_are now in course of construction.
Agriculture.— Date growing is the principal and most
prosperous agriculture industry, but inadequate rainfall for a
number of years has adversely affected this industry. Limes,
pomegranates and mangoes are also grown successfully.
Climate and Population.—The climate of Muscat is ex­
tremely unhealthy and the heat is excessive.