Page 80 - 7 Persian Trade rep Muscat 1_Neat

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Weights and measures,—There Are two different Agriculture.—Tho majority of the fixed port;
kinds of these—one for the Sultan’s Customs, and live by agriculture, of which date cultivation j, (?n
tho other for retail bazar use principal form, but the mouctainous and orid nat- '0
>■ Tb.»j,.b.».asr^S£rsrzssf

1 Kias—$6 or o 93<o o**. naturo of tho tribesmen does not oncoomgo modi**
1 Mx'kat manml = $144 or 21 kia» or 8 methods.
lbs. 14f ou. Government.—Tho Government of Oman ^
10 MasHt maunds — 81 Fannals. abaolulo and somewhat primitive. There arc rn
500 Msilent maunds=l Bahr. law courts in the European sonso ; can's aro uau^llr
decided by tho Saltan and his walis (Govcrnorsi jj
There is yot anothor weight also called “ Bahr ” accordance with Mahoincdan law or local n?a^
and is equal to 400 Mnskat maun da. This weight Commercial Law docs not exist, and claims against
is exclusively used for weighing salt Arab sabjccts aro difficult to scitlo.
2. Bazar weights are
Language.—The langaago of tho country is
1 Kins=$5*71 or 5'67 or*. Arabic, many persons in Mnskat and Matrah speak
24 Kia* or $137 or 8 lbs. 8 ors. —1 maued Persian, Baluchi and Hindustani. 13 urines
of Maskat
communications can, however, be sent in English.
With tho cxccpticn of vice, which is sold in bags, Tho post and telegraph offices at Maskat (the only
all cereals aro sold by " Palli" and " Farrah '* ones in Oman) have boon established by tho Indian
(wooden bowls). Government
40 Palli8=I Farrah. Customs administration.—Tho easterns are
3-) Farras=l Khaodi. managed by His Highness the Sultan through a paid
men measuring in "palli” the measure is Ij'vTbrem'is teried^jEUs H‘*hne^‘”fcd
hoaped np. this can be paid in kind when there is any dispute
The Indian rupee is taken as one tola and is about the value. No export duty of any kind is
ueod for weighing perfumeries. The weight of a leviable or p.iid by merchants except an internal
Maria Theresa dollar is called “ whoogiah ** and is transit duty of 5 per cent on dates, which u
chiefly used in weighing “amber.** j recovered from tho owners of the prodace.
8 3naka!s=I Rupee weight. Hoads and communications.—The remarks in t'ae
8 - =$1 report for 1909-10 apply equally to tho current
year. No wheeled traffic exists in tho coan ry,
Measures. locomotion being by means of camels and denktys
by land and country craft by sea. The interior is
1 8hibr=l palm or 4j* 4 Thraahs — 1 Fathom. usually in an unsettled condition and travelling
2 Bhibru -1 thraah or 9* 1 Baah =1 „ without a large escort is dangerous.
1 Thraah=1* 8* 1 Baah = 4 Ihraab* or 1
Fathom. Total trade.—Owing to difficulties in prccorir.g
2 Thraahs =1 Yard. statistics fiom the Customs administration of H:s
Highness tho Sultan’s Government, an effort was
Note.—In all traxuartions the measure ** thr.iab ** is used. made to prepare statistics from steamer manifests
Population.—The population of Masknt is and the returns attached to this report are almost
estimated at about 10,000 persons and that of entirely based on the figures theroby obtained- The
Matrah at about 14,000. Neither of these towns figures now furnishod take no account of the sailing
makes any pretence of sanitation. Maskat presents vessel or coastal trade and are to that exfcnx
a picturesque appearance from the sea, but the defective. Efforts will be made in fa tare years to
interior of the town is for the most part mean and procure a rough estimate of these figures also and
squalid. Matrah is, if anything, worse than where it has been possible to nrrive at a rough
Maskat. The climate of Maskat is extremely bad, estimate of tho more valuable portions of the sailing
tho heat being excessive during the greater part of vessel trade, the figures arrived at are mentioned
the year; a damp heat usually prevails, out it is in the body of the report. Comparison with
varied by very hot dry winds in May and Jure. previous year’s figures, which were obtained fro®
The overage annual rainfall is only 5 inches. The a different source, are given below for what they
interior of Oman ia mountainous and the inhabitants are worth.
for the most part are poor. The population is The total value of the import and export trade
estimated at about 5,00/00, of whom a considerable for the year under review according to the
portion are nomada. statistics amounted to Rs. 99,82,750 showing »
Public health.-Owing to the climate and lack decreaso of Ra. 24,86,820 or 20 per cent compared
of sanitation the public health is bad, malarial and j with the last year’s figures which stood at
other fevers being particularly prcvaleut | Ra. 1,24,69,570. .

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