Page 108 - 7 Persian Trade rep Muscat 1_Neat

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Thero in yet ar.cthcr weight aleo called “ Bair” is the princiji.il form, hut the mountainous and arid
nnd ia equal to -SCO Mnnkn:. Thin weight uatnro of tie country doe3 not lend itself to remun­
ib exclusively used for weighing salt. erative agriculture and the quarroleomo nature of
the tribesmen does not encourago modern mot hods.
2. Bazaar weight* aro :—
Government.—The Government of Oman la absclute
and somewhat p rimitivo. Thoro aro no law ccnrt*
1 KUi - $£71 or CC7 ou.
in tho European senso, eases arc nanally decided by
24 Kiai or |137 or 8 lb*. 8 or*. «•« 1 mauml of M&ikal tho Sultan ar.d hi3 Walis (Governors) in accordruce
with Mlnhomtdan law or local usage. Commercial
With tho exception of rico, which is aold in lags, law does not exist ami claims against Arab subject*
all cereals arc sold by ” palli ” aud " famli" are difficult to soitlo.
(wooden bowls).
Language.—Tho Innguago of the country it
Arabic ; many persona in -Mnnkat and Matrah speak
40 palli* = 1 f*rrnh.
Persian, Baluchi aud Hindustani. Buxines* cocrau-
20 famia — 1 kh&ndi. nicatior.8 can, however, be 6ent in English. The
post ar.d tc-ltqrapb officos at Maskat (the only one*
When measurizg in “ palli” tho measure is hexped in Oman) havo been established by tho Irdian
up. Government
The Indian Rcpc-c is taken as one tola and is used Customs A Aminist ration.—Tho Customs are
for woighing perfumeries. The weight of a Maria managed by His Highness the Sultan through a
Theresa dollar is called “ wh;ogiah ” aud ia cLiedy paid So perm Undent, a British Indian subject. An
used in weighing '* amber.” irn port duty net exceeding 5 p-er cent, ad valorem is
levied by HU Highness and this can be paid in kind
6 oi.'sLils - 1 rupee weight. when there is any dispute about the value. No
export duty of any kind is leviable or paid by
8 mi*kab - rupee weight.
merchants except an internal transit doty of l per
cent oc dates, which ia recovered from the owners
of the produce.
Measures.
The landing arrangements were improved drring
1 ■Libr - 1 palm or 4J’ •l tbriabi 1 fathom. the year. H s HiehnesB occasionally employs hi*
2 «* 1 *.hraud» or V 1 ba'ab — 1 fathom. steam cutter in towing lightens from ship to shore,
thus arcelerau’ g the work of f-hipping and larding
1 thrrvah - Y 6" 1 bi’ih — 4 tluxvh or ] of goods. Tie landing charges were also enhanced
f.llom. by 50 percent £:ein September. Tbc former laoiing
contractor was rep'aced by a company of 4 Arab
2 thr*ah« — 1 yard.
mcichantfl. Goroplait ts of pilfering, however, are
Note.—In iH t.m.'sactionj tbc ncasare “tbraah” ia os.-d. still heaid occcis:onnlly but there ha* been consi­
derable improvement on the whole.
Population.—The population of Maskat is e6timit«.d Eoads ar.d Communications.—The remarks ir the
at about 20,0 JO persons and th:it of Matrah at alout report for 1900-10 hold good for the present year.
It,000. No regular census has ever been tacen. No wheeled traffic exists in the country, locomotion
Neither of these towns make any pretenco of sirri- being by me*-.ns of camels and donkeys by land and
tation. Maskat preheats a picturesque appearance country craft by *ea. The interior i* usually in an
from the eea, but ihe inte;ior of the town is for the unt-ettled condition and travelling without a large
most part mesn aud squalid. Matrah is, if anything, escort i* dangerous.
worse than Mas cat. The climate of Maskat ia
extremely bad. tbe heat is excessive during the Total trade.—The total volume of trade done
greater part of the year ; a damp heat usually pre­ dnrin" the vtar under review amoanttd to
vails, but it is varied by very hot dry winds in Rs. 1*03,75,00*6 as against Ra. 99,82,750 of the
Alsy and Jane. The average annual rainfall is only previous year showing * net ,DC£\a“
about 5 inches. The intern r of Oman is mountain­ Rs. 3,92,h56 a* against tbe decrease of R*. 24,66,830
ous and tbe inhabitants for tho most pari arc p»r. of the last year (1910-11).
The population it estimated at about 500,000 of The above figures, howover, include the staiiitice
whom a considerable portion is nomadic. trade amounting to
of the boggalow-borne . __
Public Health.—Owing to the climate and lack of Its. 7,47,116 which in tbe previous year did not
sanitation the public health is bad; malarial and
other fevers are prevalent from**the*
Agriculture.—The majority of tbe settled inhabit­ goneral trade ha* further Buffered to the extent of
ant* live by agriculture, of which date cultivation Rs. 3,54.260.