Page 59 - 7 Persian Trade rep Muscat 1_Neat

REPORT

ON THE
TRADE OF MASKAT

for the year 1909-1910 by Major A. P. Trevor, I.A., His Britannic

Majesty’s Consul, Maskat,

in accordance with Muhammadan law or local usage.
Introduction.—Maskat is tbo capital and the
principal port of the Sultanate of Oman, which Commercial law docs not exist, and claims against
coioi.rL-cc a portion of the south-eastern aud tho Arab subjects are difficult to settle:
cadern coast of Arabia up to the entrance to tho Language.—The language of the country is
Arabic; many persons in Maskat and Mat rah speak
Persian Gulf.
M.iskat is tho only port of call for steamers in Persian and Hindustani. Business comm a mentions
Oman, but ns the town lies at tho end of a cove can however bo sent in English. The Post and
surrounded on three sides by rocky hills, it has no Telegraph Offices 3t Maskat (the only ones in Oman)
mean"; of communication with the intenor. The have been established by the Iudian Government.
neighbouring town of Matrah abiut 2 miles up the Openings for British Trade.—The trade of Maskat
coast supplies this want, and is the local centre for and Matrah is to a great extent in tho hands of
trade with the interior. Hindu and Indian Muhammadan merchants, who
have been settled in these places for generations.
The population of Maskat is estimated at about
10.000 persons and that of Matrah at about 14,000. Thus by far the greater portion of the trade is with
Neither of these towns makes any pretence of sanita­ India, and there do not appear to be any special
tion. Maskat presents a pictaiesque appearance from openings for British Trad© at present.
the sea, but the interior of the town is for the moft It will be seen from the foregoing remarks that tho
part mean and squalid. Matrah is if anything country is poor and its wants 6malL There is no
worse than Maskat. The climate of Maskat is opening for modern refinements of civilization, and,
extremely bad, the heat being excessive daring the as noted in the report f«»r 1903-1909, merchant*
greater part of the year; a damp heat usually deriring to do business in Ma-kat would do well to
prevails, but it is varied by very hot dry wiuas in consuli the CommercL«l Intelligence Branch of tho
and Jone. The average annual rainfall is only Board of Trade (or if in India the Commercial
5 inches. Intelligence Office of the Commerce Department)
Public Health.—Owing to the climate and lack of before going to the trouble of making enquiries at
wnilatiou the public health is bad, malarial and Maskat.
other fevers being particularly prevalent. Total trade.—As usual the statistics of trade
Population of Oman.—The interior of Oman is shipping attached to this report have been furnished
mountainous and the inhabitants for the most part by the Custom* Administration of His Highness the
are poor. The population is estimated at about Saltan’s Government. As duty is levied not on thi
500.000 of whom a considerable portion are nomads. invoice valne of goods hut on the local market value
of articles, reliable statistics are not available, and
•djrtculftIre.—The majority of the fixed portion
live by agriculture of which date cultivation is the hence the figures are only approximate. The total
principal form, but the mountainous and arid nature value of tho import and export trade for the year
°f the country does not lend itself to remunerative under review according to the statistics amounted to
‘{^culture, and the quarrelsome and unprogressive Rs. 1,24,69,570, shewing a decrease of Rs. 23,41,571
nature of the tribesmen does not encourage modern or over 18 per cent, over the last year's figures, which
methods. ^ stood at Bs. 1,48,11,141. This is chiefly due to tho
decrease of over Rs. 20,00,000 in the import of arma
.^orernmenf.—The Government of Oman is and ammunition, and of over Rs. 3,00,000 in tbo
co somewhat primitive. There are no law export of specie. Trade in other articles remained
jJ-j. |n ^be European sense, cases are usually normal, the slight increase or decrease being nominal,
*** by the Saltan and his Walis (Governors) or due to the ordinary fluctuation* of trad*.