'File 35/87 VI A. 38 Muscat reforms, customs, finances' [‎87r] (181/440)

COKFIDEirriAL.
9
Prom
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i o
No. 10?-B of 1925.
British Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. and Consulate-General,
Bush ire, 5 th A.pril 1925.
he Kon'ble Lieut-Col. P. B. Prideaux, C.S .I. , G .I.®.,
Political Resiaent in the 3 ?ersian Gulf.
The Foreign Secretary to the Government of India
in the j'oreign antl Political Department, Delhi.
muscat FIHAUCTR 's.
Sir,
I have the honour to refer to correspondence ending wit
my letter No. 567 -8., dated the 11th October 1924, and to forward
for the information of the Government of India a copy of the mar-
dated 11th March 1925.) -ginally cited letter from the Political Agen
Muscat, giving cover to a half-yearly statement of the Muscat
State finances.
2. The optimism observed in the previous half-yearly report
seems to have been justified, and the revenue for the full year
exceeded the expenditure by nearly Es. 7b,000/-
3. mr. g . N. Bower's deputation to Muscat has had an ex-
-cellent effect on the Customs receipts, which, as a whole, during
the year have been the largest on record. The collection of
customs at Bur is the most difficult problem, as the lack of con-
—tiro 1 there leads to extensive smuggling and a large loss of
revenue. Mr. Bower has also improved the machinery by which the
customs are collected and effected many economies.
i. In other respects there is nothing upon which to comment
and I consider the financial situation to be more satisfactory at
present than it has been for some years.
I have the honour to be.
Sir,
Your most obedient servant.
le
X 5
; ! l
H
Lieut-Col..
Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .