Page 122 - 8 Persian Trade rep Muscat 2_Neat

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Banking. carried by Bailing vessels and the balance by steam*
■hips. They show a decrease of £24,052 from the
Thcre are no banks in Mascat. The system among previous year’s figures.
the merchants of issuing Hundis (drafts) is in practice
and as trade methods are primitive there arc no Cotton goods locally manufactured were exported
sufficient inducements for a bank to be established. to Aden, Africa and Zanzibar: dry fiah to Ceylon
and Waras (ochre) to Aden. This last item is used
for dyeing clothes by the Arabs.
Trad*.
Muscat manufactures turbans and lungi».0.Tiese
Tbe total volume of trade for the year 1929-30 are exported to Zanzibar, Africa and Aden. A
amounted to £459,416 as against £510,120 of tbe considerable export of thes«c articles passes through
previous year showing a decrease of £50,674. the post office and does not appear in these returns.
Imports by steamers as well as by sailing vessels The post office returns for the year under report show
show a decrease of £26,622 as compared with the that goods worth £8,375 were thus exported.
previous year. The export of dates, which is the most important
Exports by steamers as well as by sailing vessels items of Muscat export, fell from £110,317 to £90,801,
show a decrease of £21,052 as compared with the or about 17*70 per cent. The decrease ia attributed
previous year. chicflj* to scanty rainfall and partly to the invasion
Of the total trade for the year the share of the sail­ of locusts. As will be seen from tbe statistics no
ing vessels is £110,284 and that of the steamships 4 Fard * dates were exported to United States of
£349.162. America during the year under report.
Share of Trade. Legislation.
The Government is of the Oriental type tempered
Xarne of Country. Inport. Kxj-ort. T«tai_ IYrcrntMT.
by treaty for the benefit of British subjects over
whom the local authorities have no jurisdiction.
t I t
lodU 214.998 100,0» 315.0*7 ess; The Government is carried on by s Council of four
Ministers (President-, Minister of Justice, Minister
Penl* . 21,875 5.9SS 27.&-C3 444 of Finance and Minister of Religious Affairs). Cases
Aide* 12, WO 5,011 17xn JH against British subjects are tried by the Political
Agent and Iiis Britannic Majesty’s Consul, 3ruscat,
Cry\ao 14.783 14.7S3 222
United Kisedom 19,374 2.300 21.C74 4-7* on principles of Uaw adopted from British India.
Cases against Muscat subjects arc decided by tbe
United States of 202 S.790 10,033 2 IS
Council of Ministers, but the right of Consular re­
presentation exists and is exercised.
Chin* 2.005 2X05 »54
Aden 1.892 \jun OH Customs.
Sliifapors 440 440 *!•
Reciprocal commercial treaties ha>Tebeen execut­
46,044 1,055 47.099 10-25
ed by the Ruler of Oman with Great Britain and
Total . 317,295 142,157 459,446 100-00
France. In accordance with the terms of those all
goods imported into Oman are subject to an import
As will be observed from the above figures India duty of 5 per cent ad valorem determined by the price
has played a prominent part in the year’s trade. current in the local market. No export duty is
levied, but a charge of 5 per cent is imposed in
Imports. Muscat and at the Coast ports on all dates and other
Total imports for tbe year amounted to £317,295 fruits from the interior.
as against £343,917 of the previous year showing a The Customs revenue is the main source of the
decrease of £26,622. Of the total imports goods Government’s income.
worth £220,306 were carried by steamships and
£96,989 by sailing vessels. Transport.
The import of rice by steamers as well as by sail­ Transport along the coast is by sailing vessels and
ing vessels show a decrease. The bulk of the rice is cheap. Transport inland is carried out by pack
imported and appearing in these return came from animals, and is difficult, dangerous and expensive.
Karachi. It is cheaper than Calcutta rice and is The rates depend upon the distance the goods have
consumed by the poorer classes both in Muscat and to be conveyed and the difficulty of the journey.
in the interior. / A road to link up Matrah with the Batinab Coast
ports is still under constructions, but tbe road
Exports.
from Mu scat to Vatrah was completed in October
Total exports for tbe year under review amounted 1929. The hire of a car is Ra. 2 per trip and anna*
to £142,161 of which roue* w«uch • £13.295 were 4 per bead.