Page 411 - 7 Persian Trade rep Muscat 1_Neat

REPORT ON THE TRADE OF MUSCAT FOR
THE YEAR 1922-23.

Introduction. by the local demand in the date season, and by th«
Muscat is the capital of the independent Sultanate 8tTrad^a-co^ and Gajh,
of that name situated at the Easterly corner o ima„innry coins. There arc two kinds of Mobimadia
Arabia. Its inboard is nearly 000 wiles long and _b,°ack 'nd whitc. Black 20} =1 dollar, and white
extends from Tibbat on the west Hide of Cape Mu* Ui = 1 donar. Thc whitc is used in wholesale trade
acudam round R«h Saj.r rather over -00 miles due acc2ountg and the black for fruit, vegetables; etc.
north of the island of Socotra, withi the exception of M t hun,lica frora Indb show their face value in
a small strtp on the r.anr. roast or the Mussecd am Mobamadis and not in rupees.
peninsular from Dibbeb to Khor Kalba which :s in
thc administration of thc minor Chiefs of Tncial 20 Gajh . — 1 MohimadU
=3 1 dollar.
Oman. The Sultanate extends inland to thc borders 11} Mohamadi Tom in.
'of the Great Desert but of late years thc Omanis 100
have become virtually autonomous and are now more The average rate of monthly exchange between
subject to -he Imam of Oman and Lis lieutenant the Maria Theresa dollar and the rupee varied from
Shaikh Isa bin Saleh than to His Highn ess thc Sultan Rs. 16-4 to Rs. 189 per 100 dollars, the lowest being;
of Oman. The interior is for the most part rnr:n- in July 1922 and the highest in March 1923.
tainous the high country extending down to the sea Thc following gives the average rates in the local
coast in a series of aril rocky heights though vege-.a- markets h each in-.nth during thc year underreport
tion exists on thc higher mountains. Morth*\Ve»t of Rs. 15=1 £.
Muscat the 5.5a coast littoral tract is fertile and pros­ Rupees
perous and date groves extend along it for over 190 per IO)
dollars.
miles. This strip is known as the Batix-sh Coast aod
it is to here that the hiilinen from Oman finding the April 102-2 . 169 4
May 1922 .
109
ktruggle for existence too keen in the face of a de­ Ju-iel922 . 10330
creasing wAwr supply are gradually descending and July 1922 . 1G4
fpreing out the date and fisher folk. The remainder August 1922 109
of the coast with one notable exception is barren and September 1922 ICS
October 1922
108
forbidding and rarely visited by Europeans. The November 1922 17330
exception is D’nofar which is the name of the small December 1922 171-3
fertile district compriiing a group of villages r.t thc January 1923 173 4
February 1923
South*West corner of the Sultanate. G'-radar a pert March 1923 180
lbftj
on the Mekran Coast and a small tract of country
round it also owns allegiance to Muscat. It is the
last remnant of thc Omani possessions oa the Persian
side of the Grill Weights and Measures.
The town of Muscat once so important and pros­
The weights used in the Customs department are
perous has been falling into decay for years now. now prescribed for use in Muscat, Matrah and the
Most of the trade goes to the sister port of Mo trail Coast towns.
which is the starting £oint of the trade route to the
interior but Muscat stU remains the Capital and scat They are:—
of Government. 1 Kiyaa . . . sa the weight of G dollars-
or 3*9375 oz*.
24 Kiyas . • = 1 Muscat Maund.
10 Mas. . • . . =* 1 Farasala.
Currency. 200 3!ds. . • = 1 Bahar.
The Currency of thc count ry is thc Maria Theresa Rice is sold by the bag; other cereals by the follow-
dollar and the copper coin minted in 1895 to the ing measures
order of HU High ness the Sultan. Iu Muscat and
^¥^:!s^^"cncy ’J0l~and lDdiia »• : : = i SK&"
The Maria Theresa dollar fluctuates in value con- The rupee which weighs one tola, and the dollar
shier ably, being affected by the wcjjld price of silver, of which the weight is called 44 Aukia ” are used tor