Page 263 - 8 Persian Trade rep Muscat 2_Neat

Report on the Trade of Muscat for the year 1934-35.

PART L currency notes and rupees arc generally accept**},
l»ut the -dollar is the only currency recognised in the
General description of the Sultanate of Muscat. interior.
Mil-cat is til*? capital of the independent SuJtanntc _ The Maria Theresa dollar fluctuates in value con­
of that name shouted «*n the Eastern Coast of Arabia. siderably, being aflectcd by the world prise of silver,
Wish the exception of a small strip on the oa.-t coast by the h -cal demand in the date season, and by the
state of tLe Babrain pearl market.
of the Musandum Peninsula between DilTa and
Trade accounts arc kept in Mobammadis and
Khor Kalita, which is under the independent control Cajh, hypothetical units of which the former toru-
of minor .Shaikhs, the sea-board of the Sultanate prises two species, the black and the white.
extends in tb*- north fiom Tihat, on the western
Hborei of the Musandum Peninsula, to lias Pharbat The latter is used as a basis of calculutirn in wbde-
Ali in the south, situated some 200 miles dine north salc transactions, whilst tie black Mohamiaadi,
of the extreme westerly point of Socotra I-daud. twenty and a half of which constitute a dollar, is
Inland the Sultanate extends to the borders of u-cd for petty retail trade. Most bundis from India
the Hub al Khali or to give it its local narco—the J-sow their face value in Moluimmadis and not in
Great D^w-rt. Of late years the Omanis have become rupees.
autonomous, the writ of the Sultan mercy runs SftGiBjli . . 1 M'tbuuniailL
throughout a coastal belt varying iu depth from I If 3-luhamma'lis . 1 Dollar.
m
some lb to CO miles. n . 1 To nun.
The interior i? for the most part mountainr.m, the Exchange Rate.
main ranges running approximately parallel! to th*r
sea coast with, barren, rocky ofl.dioots extending in Excuasce i 100 >r.uii Tutxtfi
places down to the sea. The higher inland, ranges, ^J) OLLIER.
with a comparatively good rainfall, arc wo.oded in
places and generally fertile. 1032-35. 1933-34. 1934-3X.
The sea coast for some 190 miles north-west of
Muscat is known as tie Batinah. It consults of a n«. a. r. R*. a. r. Rs. i. r.
fertile strip covered for some 100 miles of its length UJ^li«t 1>j znT rate .
with extensive date grooves. 80 6 O no o t 114 « 0
TLe remainder of the coast line within the limits Lowest tu -jar rate . 75 S O 85 O t 90 0 0
of the Sultanate are barren and forbidding, with Average t^/aar rate . 80 14 0 90 8 * 101 0 0
the notable exception of Dliofar in the •extreme
south. This southern province of Dhofar extends
from Murhat Ln the cast to Has Dharbat AHi in the Weights and Measures.
west, and is bounded on the north by the Qura The weights used in the Customs Department
mountains. prescril>*ed in Muscat, Matrah and the Coast towns
Being well within reach of the monsoon rains and are
being blessed with several perennial streasns, this 1 Kiyaa . ;
area, particularly round Salaluli, is extremely fertile. . The weight of 6
dollars or 5-9375
TLe town **f Muscat, once important amd pros­ OJUi.
perous, has given place to the adjoining port of 24 Kiyss . • 1 Muwat Mauad.
Mat rah as the trade centre and focus of connmcrciaJ 10 Muscat Mauiiri* . 1 FanaaLih.
200 Muscat Mounds .
» 1 Balur.
dealings with the Batiuali and the interior. Bice is sold by the bag; other cereals bj the
Muscat however still continues to be the- scat of following measures :—
Government and ibe capitul of tbc .Sultanate.
20 Pal* . 1 Farrak.
Currency. 20 Fkxraha
The currency of the country is the Maria Theresa The rupee which weighs one tola and the dollar of
dollar and the copper coin, known as the Baiza, which the weight is called “ Auqia ” are used for
minted in I«^5 to the order of Ifis Higluncss the weighing drugs and perfumes. One “ AuoLa *
Sultan. In Muscat and Matrali, .sovereigns, Indian equals eight “ MisqaU