Page 121 - 8 Persian Trade rep Muscat 2_Neat

Report on the Trade of Muscat for the year 1929-30.

Introduction. Trade accounts are kept in Mohamadis and Gajh
imaginary coins. There arc two kinds of Moha-
Muscat is the capital of the independent Sul­ madis— black and white. Black 201 = 1 dollar.
tanate of that name situated at the easterly corner The white is used in wholesale trade accounts and
of Arabia. Its seaboard is nearly 900 miles long the black for fruits, vegetables, etc. Most hundia
and extends from Tibbat on the west side of Cape from India show their face value in Moh&madis and
Mossandarn round Ras Rajit rather over *200 miles not in rupees.
due north of the Island of Socotra, with the excep­
tion of a small strip of the cast coast of the Mus- 20 Gajb . • 1 Mohamad i.
sandam peninsula from Dibbch to Khor Khalba 11) MoLamadia . 1 dollar.
which is in the administration of the minor chicfa 100 MoLimadia • 1 Toman.
of Trucial Oman. The Sultanate extends inland
to the borders of the Great Desert but of late years
the Omanis have become virtually autonomous and Exchange Rate.
are now more subject to the Imam of Oman and his
lieutenant Sheikh Isa bin Salih than to His High­ ExcBinz rat 100 Muii Thuexa
ness the Sohan of Muscat and Oman. The interior HOLLA U.
is for the most part mountainous, the high country
extending down to the sea coast in a series of arid 1927-2&. 1023 23. 1029-30.
rocky heights though vegetation exists on the higher
mountains. North-West of Muscat the sea coast Ha. a_ r. iu. a. r. JU. a. r.
littoral tract is fertile and prosperous and date groves Highest Luiu rate . 130 0 O 131 8 0 12s o o
extend along it for over 100 miles. This strip is Lowest bAiAxr rate . 120 8 0 12S 8 0 97 8 0
known as tie Batinah Coast and it is to here that the Average t<uur rate • 128 8 0 128 0 O 110 8 O
hillmen from Oman finding the struggle for existence
too keen in the face of a decreasing water supply,
are gradually descending and forcing out the date Weights and Measures.
and fisher folk. The remainder of the coast with
one notable exception is barren and forbidding and The weights used in the Customs Department are
rarely visited by Europeans. The exception is prescribed in Muscat, Matrah and the Coast town.
DLofar which is the name of a small fertile district They are:—
comprising a group of villages at the South-West
corner of ike Sultanate. Gwadur, a port on the 1 Kijao • The weight of 6 dollars or
5-2375 ora.
Mekrab Coast, and a small tract of country round
it also owns allegiance to Muscat. It is the last 24 a. a . . • 1 Muscat Marod.
remnant of the Omani possessions on the Persian 10 Muscat Maunda • • 7anuk,
side of the Gulf. 200 m • Babe.
The town of Muscat, once bo important and pros­
perous, has been falling into decay for years now. Rice is sold by the hag: other cereals by the follow-
Most of the trade goes to the sister port erf Matrah ing measures:—
which is the starting point of the trade route to the ^
interior, but Muscat still remains the capital and * • ,1 Fazrab.
seat of Government. 20 Fanab* • • .1 Khanrii.
Currency. The rupee which weighs one tola and the dollar of
The currency of the country is the Maria Theresa which the weight is called “ Auqia ” are used foe
dollar and the copper coin minted in 1895 to the weighing drugs and perfume*. One "jAuqia " equal*
order of His Highness the Sultan. In Muscat and eight ” Muqsl* ”,
Matrah, sovereigns, Indian currency note* and
Indian rupee* are generally accepted.
Measures (Linear),
The Maria Theresa dollar fluctuate* in value con­
siderably bring affected by the world price of silver, 1 Sluhff , 1 Hand or 4) hvfcs*.
by the local demand in the date season, and by the 4 Shibra , • 1 Dhlra or cubit,
lUU of the Bahrein pearl market. 4 Dblra* , • 1 Bah* or fathom.
B