تقارير إدارية من الخليج العربي ١٨٨٣/١٨٨٤ – ١٩٠٤/١٩٠٥ [ظ‎‎٢‎٥‎٨] (٦٠٢/٥٢١)

7
11.—Oman—
Maskat.
2 ADMINISTEATION EEPORT ON THE PERSIAN GULEVPOLITICAL
to the report received from the Assistant Surgeon at Jask who supervised the
observation camp in the neighbourhood of the station, 52 cases with 29 deaths
occurred. The disease also appeared about the same time at Minab, 50 miles
from Bunder Abbas. No authentic details regarding the progress of the disease
at this place have been received, but many people are said to have died. The
epidemic died out towards the end of January. The measures taken by the
local authorities at Bunder Abbas in accordance with the advice of Assistant
Surgeon Kirkpatrick were successful in keeping the disease out of Bunder
Abbas. The measures for the prevention of plague throughout the Gulf have
been efficiently carried out under the superintendence of the Residency
Surgeon.
5. Administration of the Customs in the Tersian Gulf. —On the 23rd Sep
tember 1902, a satisfactory settlement having been arrived at between the
Persian Government and the Sheikh of Mohammerah, the management of the
Customs at Mohammerah and on the Karun was taken over by the Belgian
Customs Administration, and was placed under the charge of the Director-
General in Bushire. In February 1903, the Customs Department at Moham
merah was separated from the Gulf Customs Department and placed directly
under the Minister of Customs at Tehran, Monsieur Waffelaert being the first;
Director-General of what is now termed the Arabistan Customs Department.
Customs Houses have now, it is understood, been established at Bunder Nasri
on the Karun and also at Dizful and Sbushter.
On the 14th February 1903 the hitherto prevailing duty of 5 per cent.
ad valorem on imports and exports was abolished and a new specific tariff
was introduced. It is too early as yet to say for certain how the new tariff will
affect trade generally, but the first impression was that the Indian tea trade
would receive a serious check. I, however, am inclined to doubt if this will be
the case, as the commodity, although the duty has been considerably raised, is
a cheap one and its consumption has taken a hold upon the people of the
country. The heavier classes of Manchester cotton goods may, it seems, be
adversely affected. Export duties have generally been abolished; but the duty
on opium, which is the most important article of export from Persia, has been
largely increased. The introduction of the new tariff caused much consterna
tion amongst the native merchants throughout Southern Persia, and telegrams
were sent from Bushire and other places to the Shah and to the Minister of
Customs praying for a postponement of the tariff for a period of three months
to enable the merchants to dispose of their goods then lying in the Customs
Houses and on the way to Persia. The request was refused and consequently for
some time goods were not cleared from the Customs Houses and there was much
talk of a general agitation against the Government. At Shiraz the excitement
seems to have been greater than elsewhere in the south. At the close of the
year the agitation seemed to be generally dying out though goods belonging to
up-country merchants still remained uncleared in the Bushire Customs House.
The importance of Lingah as the port of transhipment for the Arab Coast
ports has declined, and steamers of the Bombay and Persia Steam Navigation
Company now make regular callings at Debaye which has now become the
distributing centre for the Arab Coast.
6. Settlement of Claims. —Notwithstanding the efforts made by His
Majesty's Legation and this Residency, the settlement of our claims against the
Persian Government and Persian subjects has made no progress. The Special
Commissioner alluded to in last year's report left for Tehran, having effected
nothing. A new Karguzar has recently arrived with special orders to take these
cases up.
7- Coronation of His Majesty King Edward VII. —The Coronation of
His Majesty King Edward VII was celebrated on the 1st January 1903 at all
the places in the Gulf within the jurisdiction of this Residency.
Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., was Political Agent at Maskat throughout the
year. "With the exception of occasional inter-tribal quarrels, the Sultan's terri
tories continued to enjoy peace and tranquillity. In December His Highness
the Sultan sent his eldest son Saiyid Taimur to represent him at the Delhi
Coronation Darbar. The Political Agent's report of the principal events in
Maskat during the year forms Part II of this compilation.