Page 254 - 7 Persian Trade rep Muscat 1_Neat

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The npeo, which weighs ono loin, and tLio dollar, Walls, where any such hold authority. Qazis
of which tho weight is called “ Atkin," arc used also ndmiciiter M till am main n Law, hut commer­
for weighing drugs ami perfumes. Ono “Aukia" cial law caai.oi bo said to exist, and claims
c-qunls eight raiskals. against Muscat subjects efion remain without satis­
Measures (Linear). factory settlement for a vc.17 long time or porhaps
1 Shibr — 1 lwod of 41 Inchr*. indefinitely. Language.
4 Shibn — 1 dlilr*.’ or cubit.
4 Dblra'f — 1 la’ or fathom. Tho lauguago of tho country ia Arabh ; many
rersons in Muscat and Matrah speak Persian,
Population. Baluchi and Hindustani. Business communications
can, however, bo sent in English. A Post and
Muscat ia generally arid—for no statistics aro Telegraph OfEco at MuE-ext have been established
available—to contain aboct 10,000 acdMntrah about by ‘ho Indian Government, primarily for tho
14,000 pt-oplo. But these figures nro probably now convenience of British subjects. Thcro is no local'
too high. Trade has been steadily declining for postal service either inland cr along the coass.
several years. Heavy rains during the vriuter of
1915-10 brought many bous-s down, of which only
a fow have boon rebuilt, and a visitor to either town Customs Administration.
would lake away the impression that tho piaco was Reciprocal commercial treaties bars been
half in rnins. As eastern towns go, Muscat and executed by tho rulers of Oman with France and
Malrah aro not romarkably dirty, bat both are in Great Britain. In accordance with the terms of
tho oxtr&rce squalid and mean, a Isrge proportion these all goois imported into Oman are liable to an
of tho inhabitants being housed in nothing better import tax of 5 per cent, cJ valorem as determined
than reed huts, Inlund, Oman is for tho most part by tho price current In the local market. The
mountainous nud tho peoplo aro poor. The popula­ chief Custona House is at Muscat and iho whole
tion of the Sultanate hr.3 boon estimated at about syttem is administered for His Highness th» Sultan
half a million, of whom not less than 30,000 must by a British Indian Superintendent. Bat owing
bo nomads. to lack of communication control of the Customs in
Public health. the outlying coa-d towns is very difficult and the
Muscat is hot, hut not Tery unhealthy. May and figures of ihe departroci_t, on which this report is
Juno are hot and dry. Tho nights aro especially in part based, must be accepted with cautbn. The
bad, offering only an alternative between absolute import duty may be paid in kind at the option of
airlossn* £0 and Oery blasts from the Arabian deserts the importer.
and the torrid rocks amid which the town stands. 2so export duty is leviable, but, as a natter of
Tho thermometer not Infrequently stands above convenience, an impost at 5 per cent., which it is
100c F. all night Ia July the prevailing wind customary fc: call an internal tiansit duty, is taken
shifts fTom the North and West to tho So uth-East. when dates are exported, on the theory thas this is
Tho temperature drops fifteen degrees or more, but afterwards recovered from the grower.
this is made up for by a great increase of damp. All arrangements for the landing and shipping
If, for a moment, the breeze fails, the place becomes of goods at Unseat and Matrah are in the lands of a
intolerably muggy and close. This hats about syndicate oi Arab merchants, whose management
three mouths and then tho climate coois off, but appears to ciuse fewer complaints than wtre usual
evon in. winter the air is not cold enough to be before they were appointed.
bracing. The highest temperature recorded in the
year vji 114‘9° and tie lowest o6’8° F. There Roads and Communications.
was no outbreak of small-pox, plague, cholera or
other epcdemic in 1915-16. All that has been said on this subject ia earlier
reports remains true. There are no roads or wheeled
Agriculture. traffic. Undir a system of tribal protection, known
Agriculture, chiefly date-growing, is the staple as 44 Kifarat,” Arab date buyers are able to move
industry of Oman. But its methods, like most about the country in pcetty fair safety without
large escorts, although they carry considerable sums
other things in the country, are altogether primi­
tive. of money, to pay for their purchase*. But tho
Government. authority of the Snltan doe* not at prcsci.t extend
to many plices inland and in the existing state ot
Government is of the true oriental type affairs no Etrjpean trader could venture beyond the
tempered by Treaty for the benefit of British coast.
subjects, over whom the local authorities have Tots! Trade.
waived jurisdiction. Cases against these are tried
bj His Britannic Majes:j*a Consol on principles of The roccrl of the trade of Muscat this year, a*
law adapted from British India. Caseys against in f« rmer yeira, Bhows a great excess of import* over
Muscat subjects are decided by the Saltan, and his exports. While the arms trade flourished, this was

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