Page 147 - 8 Persian Trade rep Muscat 2_Neat

Report on the Trade of Muscat for the year 1 930-3 I.

Introduction. —black and white. Black 2Q|=1 Dollar. The
white is used in wholesale trade accounts and the
J**u»cat is the Capital of the Independent Sultanate black for fruits, vegetables, etc. Most hundis from
. • -hat name situated at the easterly corner of India show their lace value in Mohamadia and not in
Arabia. Its seaboard is nearly 900 rail.es long and rupee*.
extends from Tib bat on the west side oi Cape Mus-
sandam round Etas Rajir rather over 200 miles 20 Gajh . 1 Mohamtdi.
due north of the Island of Socotra, with the excep­ 11} Molia madia 1 DolUr.
tion of a small strip of the east coast of the Mus- 1 Toman.
randam Peninsula from Dibbch to Khor Kalba 100 Mohamadia
which is in the administration of tbe minor chiefs
of Trucial Oman. The Sultanate extends inland to Exchange Rate.
the borders of the Great Desert but of late years
the Omanis have become autonomous and arc mw Excua5ub rrt 100 Mi*u THum
subject to the Lxnam of Oman and his Lieutenant Dollxbs.
Sheikh Isa bin Salih. The interior is for the most
part mountainous, the high country extending down 192“-29. 19*9-30. 1930-31.
to the sea coast in a scries of arid rocky heights
though vegetation exists on the higher mountains.
North-West of Muscat the sea coast Uittoral tract
is fertile and prosperous and date groves extend Bp. a. r. B5. a. ». R5. a. *.
along h for over 100 miles. This strip is known Hlgbecl bazaar rale . 131 S 0 123 0 0 St> 6 0
as the Batinah Coast. The remainder of the coast Lowest bazaar rate 123 B 0 97 8 O 07 4 O
with one notable exception is barren arad forbidding Average bazaar rale . IU 0 o 114 S 0 75 3 0
and rarely visited by Europeans. The exception is
Dhofar which is the name of a small fertile district
comprising a group of villages at tbe south-vest Weight* and Measure*.
corner of the Sultanate. Cwadur, a port on the
Mekran Coast, and a small tract of country round The weights used in the Customs Department
it, also owns allegiance to Muscat. ft is the last prescribed in Muscat, Matrah and the Toast town,
reni nsnt of the Omani possessions om the Persian are:—
side of the Gulf. - Kiyaa . . The- nt-ifrht of 6 Dollars of
The town of Muscat, once so important and 3-0373 oza.
prosperous, has been falling into decay for years 24 . . I Mtreat Maond.
now. Most'of tbe trade goes to tbe sister port of 10 Muiicat Mzozda . . 1 FarruaL
Mat rah which is the starting point of the trade to 200 . . 1 Ba.hr.
the interior, bat Muscat remains the capital and r*
seat of Government.
Rice is sold by the bag; other cereals by th*
following measures :—
Currency.
20 Pali* . I Furzk.
The currency of the country is tbe Maria Theresa 20 Farraha . 1 Khaadi.
Dollar and the copper coin minted im 1895 to the
order of His Highness the Sultan. Im Muscat and The rupee which weighs one tola and the Dollar
Matrah, sovereigns, Indian currency notes and of which the weight is called 44 Auqia ** are used for
rupees are generally accepted. weighing drugs and perfumes. One 44 Anqia m equal*
eight44 Misqals ”.
Tbe Maria Theresa Dollar fluctuates in value con­
siderably being affected by the world price of silver, Measure* (Linear).
by tbe local demand in the date seasom, and by tbe
state of tbe Bahrein pearl market. 1 Shibr . . 1 Hand or 4} inches.
Trade account* are kept in hloh&maxdis and Gajh, 4 Sbibro . • 1 Dhixa or cubit.
Imaginary coin*. There are two kinds of Mohamadi* 4 Dbiras . . 1 Bah or faiboa