Page 351 - 7 Persian Trade rep Muscat 1_Neat

REPORT

ON TUB

TRADE OF MUSCAT

for tlio year 1919-20 By R. E. L. Wingate, Esq., I.C-S-, Eis Britannic
Majesty's Consul, Unseat

Introduction. Though entitled the Muscat trade report, this
report U in actuality a report upon the
Muscat 13 the capital and the chief port of the trade of Oman in which the figures through
Suita sate of Oman" which theoretically stretches theirknown inaccuracy and the fact that they
from Dhofar on the southern coast of Arabia up refer only to Muscat are practically useless.
to Fas Musandam at the entrance to the Persian It may therefore possibly be of advantage in
Gulf. this short introduction to attempt to give a
Historically with a great past and once a port picture of the conditions prevailing, as other­
of the first importance, modern trade conditions wise tho report is liable to give an entirely wrong
and above all the introduction of stcan have impression.
reduced it to but a shadow of its former self. Oman is an exceedingly mountainous and
Formerly due to its geographical position c.t the for Arabia very fertile country with a long coast­
entrance of tho Persian Gnlf and at the south line, 3 large ports — from North to South Schar,
eastern corner of Arabia it formed a great iufcrepot Muscat — Muttra and Sur and a number of
where goods brought from Basrah, India or small ones. Its population grows with great
Africa could be off loaded to await the fawcur- skill dates of the first quality, a certain amount
alle season of the year when they ctnld bo of fruit each as mangoes, pomegranates and limes
carried on to their destinations. It became the with less skill, occasionally wheat and barley when
great distributing centre for the Gulf, and an there is sufficient water, with no skill at all and
imprrtnnt port of ca.U in the Indo-African trade. on the coast catches quantities of fish. These
articles and firewood are exported, and for them
Tb j introduction of regular steamship services there is a constant demand in India for the dates,
up the Gulf killed Muscat, and though through fish and pomegranates ; in other jart9 of / ribia
vested interests and the temporary prosperity for date;?, fruit and firewood ard in the United
brought by the Arms Traffic, the town died hard, States for a special type of Muscat dates. In
at present with the cessation of the latter it us in return is imported rico which is the staple diet
ruins and almost dead, the population numbers of the Arab and piece goods with which he
less than 2,000, and the fact that it is still the clothes himself.
only port of call for steamers alone prevents its
extinction. The trade of Mnscat therefore is or should
be practical 1? constant, varying only with the
It is no longer a distributing centre except for price of silver and the rainfall. There are no
the small towns of the Oman coast and for openings for further trade. The people of the
interior Oman, and even in this its place has been interior are exceedingly primitive and eo joj a
largely taken by the neighbouring port of Muttra Government differing little iroin that of the
which has always been the filing vessel port
Prophet*®. As far as is known there are no miner­
sa»l which is the starting point for the caravan als that could be profitably worked. Agricul­
roads to the interior. As has been stated in ture coaid not be further developed due to the
previous reports every article brought to Muscat limited quantity of water. Finance due to the
for interior Oman mu.4 pass through Muttra.
primitive method of trade and the necessity for
Were steamer* to call at Muttra in the making advance* on the date crop in a Te*T
future instead of Muscat, it is possible the latter insecure country, can only be carried on as it iif
would only exist as a name on tho map. that is by the merchants themselves, and a bank