Page 206 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

Type 23
The third - and last - British Agency canceller (Type 23) was
registered in the G.P.O. Impression Book on December 5th, 1961. It
seems remarkable that it was registered on the same day as the similar
Bahrain (Type 40) cancellers, which were numbered 2, 3,4 and 5; and
one cannot but help wondering if “MUSCAT 1” was intended to have
been “BAHRAIN 1”.
The Registration Labels used during this period were British-type,
inscribed MUSCAT in English only.

FORCES MAIL

During the late 1950s British Army Units, normally based in
Bahrain, were engaged in operations in the mountainous Nizwa and
Ibri areas in support of the Sultan of Muscat. Mail was franked with
G.B. 3d. stamps without overprint or surcharge; and is believed to
have been handled by the British F.P.O. in Bahrain.
Nevertheless, unoverprinted G.B. stamps may occasionally be i
found with Muscat cancellations (usually Type 21) at this time;
apparently the result of letters having been put into the post at
Muscat by mistake.

POSTAL INDEPENDENCE

Muscat was the only State which did not issue its own definitives
whilst still a British Postal Agency. When the Sultan’s Government took
over the postal service on April 30th, 1966, the independent definitive
issue depicted the State Crest, Muscat Harbour and the major forts.
Although the official currency had long been based on the Indian
External Rupee (originally of 16 Annas, and later of 100 NP) there were

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