Page 264 - 8 Persian Trade rep Muscat 2_Neat

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Measures (Linear). Shipping.
1 Slii:.r . . 1 I!.w! or I) in.-!.rs Ts.-** principal slcaird.ip lin«*s which oullod at
4 Sl;i‘ r* . . I 1 »1i5m or niMt. Miw.it ami Mat rah during the year under report
4 Dliiru . . 1 •* li* ** or fitlio- n. were as follow*:—
(I; Tii**!j?iii.sli India .Steam-hip NavigationCV,
Legislation.
The Government of the Su’tanate is conducted (2) The Stride Line of Stcanu-rA. «
Ly the Sultan and is of the oriental type teinj»er**d (3j The Kliermaa A: Buckuall Steamship Co_
Ly Treaty for the benefit of British subjects «v<t Ltd.
whom the local authorities have no jurisdiction. (4) The Ilnnsa Line of Steamer*.
The h* ads of the various S:r.:c Departments carry (.*>) The Vaniashita Steamship Co., Lt'L
out their administrative duties under tie orders of
His IligLn-.v-: and th«* AValis (or Governors) in charge I To steamers of ail national: ties aggregating
of districts are directly respon.-dMc to tie Sultan. 725,450 tons entered and cleared these porta during
Civil and Criminal Courts are presided over hv a the year ending 31st March 1035. Of these 330 with
Chief Justice. Lut cases against British subjects are a to*al tonnage of 4 1 t,3i>j wen? nndcr tin? British
tried by the Political Ag«-nt on principle's of law Flag whilst 32 German (Flansa Line) vessel-*, with a
a 1opted from British India.' (*a«os of British sub- total tonnage of 241,111? tons, 4 Japanese witli a total
jvets an*2 Protected per-'on* agnin-i Muscat subjects tonnage of 1 o,S32 tons and 4 Italian with a total
tonnage of 23.024 tons, entered and cleared the
are dechh-d in the Muscat Courts, in which the right j»«*rt« of Musc at and Mat rah.
of CoJisitlsr representation is held and exercisvd.
T:.e British India Statrudiip Navigation C**., Ltd ,
hr.s maintained a weekly mail service from Bombay
Customs. an 1 Basrah.
T»ecipr«v:al Customs treaties Lave 1-ccn executed
Ly the Sultan of Muscat and Oman with Great Freight.
Britain. France and the United States of America, Freights ruling during ihc year tc.-c as follows :—
in accordance with which all goods Lave been sub­ To I>.r:il)-iy on*! Karachi:—
jected to an import duty of 5 per cent ad valorem R*. A.
determined at current market prices. In April Dry Bates ft 11 per biz.
1934, however, in view of the parlous >:a:e of Muscat Wet Bat vs 11 ft p*-r t.»n of 2ft c-a t.
finances the Governments of tl.e two first nam'-d
countries agreed to modify their treaty rights and to Wet Bates jntiAi 17 0 per {in of 40 c. ft.
consent to an imposition of 10 per cent on certain Dry Fish in Vj miles I 0 per l.rndlc.
goods clasdlicd as coming under the category of Pomegranates in
1 nxuries. crates I 1 per crate.
There is no duty levied on goods exported from the Raw wool 7 8 per handle.
.State bet produce from the interior brought into the Cotton pi*r*v«)wlj
Coastal towns for sale or export is charged with an and woollen goods II 0 i»cr ten of 40 c. ft.
octroi doty of 5 per cent. To CJomljo:—
In all districts subject to the Muscat Government’s Dn' Fi«h . . 33 0 per tea of 20 ext. or 40 c.fi
authority the ancient Islamic tax known as “ Zakat ” To failed .State-s of America :—
of 5 per cent ad valorem, is enforced on the principal C «. d.
products of the country, in this case lime?, dates aud Wet Bates in bag-*
firewoodL or in cases . . 3 0 0 prr ton of 40 c. ft. or
20 i«U
The revenues derived from Customs and the above To I/.-odon:—
taxes constitute the main source of the State’s Wet Bates in bags
Income. or in eases . . 2 17 C j* r l xt of 40 c. ft. or
20 eat.
Population.
No regular census of the population of Muscat PART IL
and Matrah has been taken but a rough computation
fixes the figures at 4,500 and 8.5(0 respectively. (A) Trade.
The large majority of the Indian trading commu­ Gr,stml Coyd it ions. —There \va* an improvement
nity con-i-ting of Khojas and Banias which formerly in the import and export trade during the year under
inhabited Muscat has since moved to Matrah where review.
greater facilities exist for direct trade with tLc Imports show an increase of Bs. 0/13,404 over
interior. those of 1033-31, which i- due to the increase in the

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