Page 234 - 8 Persian Trade rep Muscat 2_Neat

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with a total tonnage of 59,501 tons, catered and
Legislation.
cleared the port of Mat rah.
Tae Government of the Sultanate is conducted The British India Steam Navigation Company,
persotLally bv the .Sultan and is of the oriental type Ltd., has maintained a weekly mail service from
tempered by Treaty for the benefit of British subjects Bombay and Basrah. The fast mail .service which
over whom the local authorities have no jurisdiction, was discontinued during the War hat not been
Tae heads of the various State Departments carry resumed since,
out their administrative duties under the orders of
His Holiness and the Walis (or Governors) in charge Freight.
of district* arc directly responsible to the Sultan.
Civil and Criminal Courts arc presided over by a Freights ruling during the year were a; follows:—
Chief Justice, but cases against British subjects K*. a.
are tri-ed by the Political Agent on principles of law To Bombay and Karachi:—
adopted from British India. Cases of British Dry dates . . 0 12 per bag.
subjects and Protected persons against Muscat }}.°J '!*!”. * . 10 o „ ton of 20e wt«.
8ub.eeare decided m the Muscat Courts, in which I)ry in bundle. 1 0 „ bundle,
the right of Consular representation is held and Pomegranates in
exercised. emt« 10,. crate.
Raw wool 7 8 „ bundle.
Cotton piccegoods
Customs. and woollen good* 13 0 „ ton of Y> c. ft.
Reciprocal Customs treaties have been executed by To Colombo
the Sultan of Muscat and Oman with Great Britain, Wet dit« . 33 0 „ ton of :» cats, or 10
c. ft.
the United States of America and France in Dry fiib . 33 0 ^ ton of cwti. or 10
accordance with which all goods are subject to an c. ft.
import duty of 5 per cent ad valorem determined at To United .States of America :—
curres-t market prices. £ «.
No export dun* is levied but a charge of 5 per cent, Wet dates in bags or
is imposed in Muscat and at all coastal towns on dates in m*« 2 15 „ ton of c. ft. or i'0
and other commodities from the interior. cats.
The revenues derived from Customs constitute the To London:—
Wet dates in bags or
main source of the State’s income. in CAsCS 2 15 .. ton of 40 c. ft. or 20
cwts.
Population.
No regular census of the populations of JIuscat PARTIL
and Matrah has been taken but a rough computation
fixes the figures at 4,500 and 8,500 respectively. (A) Trade-
The large majority of the Indian Trading Com­
General Condition*.—The year under review has
munity which formerly inhabited Muscat has since unfortunately not justified the slight indications of
moved to Matzah where greater facilities exist for
direct trade with the interior. The deserted quarters optimism prevalent at its outset.
Imports have shown a decline of Rs. 4,63,396 in
of th-ese emigres, having gradually fallen into a
state of disrepair and ruin, lend an air of mournful value, a decrease attributable more to the cheap
quality of the goods imported than to the quantity.
desolation to tie once thriving town of Muscat.
Japanese goods have been largely responsible for
this falling off.
Shipping. The value of exports also shows a decrease of
The principal steamship lines which called at Rs. 1,46.024 as compared with last year's figures.
Muscat and Mstrah during the year under report The total volume of trade for the year 1933-34
were as follows :— amounted to Rupees 48,89,532 as compared with
Rs. 54,98,952 in 1932-33.
(1) The British India Steamship Navigation
Company, Ltd. The following comparative table shows at a glance
(2) The Stride Line of Steamers. the value of exports and imports for the years
(3) The Ellerman and Bucknall Steamship 1932-33 and 1933-34:—
Co., Ltd. 1932-33. 1933*34.
(4) The Hans* Line of Steamers. R«. R*.
34.71,018 30.08,222
123 steamers of all nationalities aggregating Export! 20,27,334 18,81,310
431.658 tons entered and cleared these ports during
the y*ar ending 31st March 1934. Of these 115, Of the total imports goods worth R«. 19,09,922
with a total tonnage of 375,097, were under the were borne in steamers, whilst good* valued at
BritifL flag whilst 8 German (Harts* Line) vessels, Rs. 10,93,300 were imported in sailing craft.