Page 82 - 7 Persian Trade rep Muscat 1_Neat

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Chi -Shows n very large full indeed, Rs. 1,05,123 The United Slates figures show a l*rr-e <>
or 92 22 per cent this is probably duo to Maskat c«urin<>fet*
It is i a id that Maskat uFed to distribute Indian Iributing ccnlro. 6 ”a dia*
ghi lo Ibe north* m Gulf Toils, and that lbc-c n^w Silk and silk goods—Show a
either import direct or receive from TurkRh Arabia. This is partly due to the failure in India of * ^ ^
'* Baghla” or sailing vessel returns aro not included our largest importers from causes entirely ouo of
and fi» get a truer idea of Ibe figures it would be na nccted with the silk trade. The Customs ,^ncoa%
well lo add Ra. 17,TG0 for them. Go«d winter rains which, however, arc exaggerated, show nn incm”1*
in ibe years 1909-10 may have something to do with under this head from India. The practice is ase
the diminished import. as Oman produce would be ing of importing these goods in small pircch thron e
large and the interior would n«t require to import. the Tost Office, and tho Post Office trade, if statist'
Fiutb«r, Gwndurand the British Bduchistan ports could be obtained, would form no inconsMcrabf*
no longor take their Indian gbi from Maskat. addition to tho year’s trade in silk. Tins silk is ITLVk
The Customs returns show that Rs. 2S.830 worth up here with cotton goods into turbans, lungis &q,<
of gu; came frvrn the Persian Coast in local sailing handkerchiefs by the local irabs, chiefly in the district
craft, chiefly from Charbax, but a more reliable of Sharkiya by Sur and then exported by Kboi
estimate puts the value of the Persiaa trade in this traders from Maskat to Zanzibar. Remarks oa the
article at Rs. 4,000. silk trade would be incomplete if a note were not made
Kcrosinc oil.—The figures for this article compare of tlm fact that Porsian imports from Yezd of the
strangely with the figures furnished by the Customs previous year are lying un-old. The number of silt
Department Its. I,G0,000. The sioamcr manifests merchants has decreased. Up-country Arabs are bad
give ns Rs. 50 015 and the saijing vessel rctnrns arc debtors and havo ruined the trace. There is aRo aa
e*-lirnated, rather highly in the writer’s opinion, at appreciate import of silken goods and camel b.iir
Rs. 1»',000. The import of this article to Maskat is cloth from Baghdad through ;he Pest Offire. The
certainly diminishing and Baudar Abbas is taking import, for the year ha3 been valued at R10,COO,
its place as a distributing centre. which dots not appear in these returns.
Other oils—Show only Rb. 34,1*37, but Rs. GO.COO Ttcisi and yarn—Shows a large drop. This rray be
of tilled oil should be added under ‘‘Bhagla” or attributed to a certain extent to sympathy with the
sailim: vessels. This is a cheap sweet oil used very silk trade and the diminished manufacture of
largely for co -king purposes. turbans, etc., for Zanzibar.
Sugar—ARo shows a large fall. The reason Miscellaneous Trade*—The slight drop calls fij
given is heavy losses iu India over sugar, which made little remark, but a note is required to cxi-laio the
merchants chary of stocking largely. It should discrepancy between tho figures as shown fi r thij
be noted that the comparatively large trade of year in the table of decreasing imports given above
France and the United Kingdom has been completely and the figures in Tables 1-3 and 1-C. Tho Erst
wiped out and German trade has also been largely figures show a total of Rs. 4,07,414 while the T&blea
reduced. The s ft sugar which is the principal kind 1-B and 1-C show only Rs. 3,03 527. The reason is
imported is said to be Austrian. that for purposes of effective comparison the firei
Syrup—Appears to have declined in sympathy figures have been made to include tobacco, 6pices,
with the decline in general trade. Indian syinp, fruit (fresh and dried) and a few other items, which
cheap and of inferior quality, appears for the first were included in Miscellaneous returns of previous
time in those returns. yeara.
Vermicelli.—There Las been a slight rise in price Table of items showing increased importation
as direct German imports here have ceased. It is
said that consumption has also gone down. Persian Increase. Tacts**
imports are really German roods re-exported. Tue Articles. 1903-10. 1910-11. »5*
amount bhown as coining from India is also pro­
bably German.
R*. Rs. Rs.
Cotton goods.—The decrease under France is pro­
bably due to French and Belgian firms leaving Paints and 30,500 35,571 5,071 1G-6S
Maskat. Germany figures for the first time this coloan. 9637
2A7S
year with Rs. 9,U00 worth of trade. It is stated Biscnits . 2,700 5*75 32,013 1543
that this is ne t really a new feature of the trade, Colics . • 2,07.132 1,39.445 1,02.53* 14G5-6*
Oilman stores
1,09,53*
7,000
but the Customs returns of previous years did not Wines and 29.700 l&iS S3&
show it. India bolds her own and easily heads the spirits.
list of importers, but it is difficult to believe that this Bar sflrer 9,03,255
is all the export of Indian mills, and probably the Fruit (fresh and 24,271
dried).
United Kingdom and Germany havo a largo share in Vegetables 23,015
this trade: it has not been possible to ascertain each Perfumery auso
country's share.