Page 23 - 7 Persian Trade rep Muscat 1_Neat

No. 270, dated Maakat, tlio 18th May 1008.
From—Captaiv No*m\n Scott, Officiating political Agent and I(i* BriUnnio
Majesty’s Consul, M.v*kat,
To—The Under Secretary to the Gorernmont of India ia th? Foreign Department#
Simla.
I have Ibo honour to cuhmit herewith the Annual Roport on the Trade
of Maskat f°r -he jettr 1907-OS, copies of which have boon forwarded to the
Political Residont in the Persian Gulf, and to the Under Secretory of State
for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Office, London.
Report on the Trade of Mu skat for 1007-03.
Total trade.—The total value of trade of Mashat for the year 1907*08,
according to the figures furnished by the Superintendent of the Sultan’s Cus­
toms, is returned at Rs. 1,40,92,010 as against Rs. 1,00,15,195 of the previous
year, showing an increase of Rs 31,76,815 or over 32 per cent. This prosperity
is largely doe to unprecedented imports of arms and ammunition and* to
abnormal specie remittances in consequence of the trade in arms owing to non­
existence of an Exchange Bank at Maskat.
Imports—The total value of imports including specie amounts to
Rs. 98,46,560 as against Rs. 69,21,375 in the previous year, showing an increase
of Rs 29,25,185 or more than 42 per cent. The following are the chief items
which show marked increase—
Articles. Increase. Percentage.
Rs.
Aims and ammunition 25,00,685 148
Ghee 58,000 132
Twists and yarns • •• 33,700 14
Specie 13,05,000 310
As reported last year, Belgium takes the lead in this traffic. The per-
centages are Belgium 50 5 per cent. Unit­
Armaaod nn munition.
ed Kingdom 3S 3 per cent France 9*5
per cent and Germany 3*7 per cent The English Martini rifles are much
preferred to the Belgian arms, nevertheless the latter being cheaper by from 6 to
10 rupees have ready market The arms imported from Franco and Germany
are old and of inferior quality generally such as hare been discarded from the
army and stocked anew.
The increase under this head is attributed to scanty rainfall affording
less pasturage to cattle and thereby caus-
Oban.
ing aecrease in dairy produce in the coun­
try. India again takes the first place as in former years, and Persia including
iiekran the second.
The trade in this article is normal Increase is slightlv due to imports in
excess of demands, hence the stock in hand
Twiiti and Turn.
is largo at the end of the year. Almost
all is imported from India.
The unprecedented increase under this head is due partly to the re-export
of arms and ammunition for which money
Sped*. • flowed into Msskat to an extent never
seen •previously, and partly to the fluctuation of exchango which prevailed bet­
ween rupees and dollars throughout the year favouring the local shroffs and
capitalists to make mono/ by romitting orbringing dollars to and from Bombay,
Aden, and the Persian Gulf on the rise or fall of the exchange.