'File 35/87 VI A. 38 Muscat reforms, customs, finances' [‎201r] (409/440)

or for Gwauur which supplies the State with a considera-ble
portion cf its revenues and gets nothing in return. 'Xoday
any reform whatsoever involving expenditure must he eschewed,
and under present arrangements,relief will come only in two
and a half years»
Lii most compelling need of the State,as envisaged hy
the Oouncil of iaisters and hy the leading notables is a
PriiLar^ School for Muscat. I have "been approached on all
..aiisi-S duriag tiie past tjo and a half years to institute such
a school hut I have "been prevented from doing so hy financial
exigencies and the supreme consideration of a Solvent State.
There is as you knov* no school,certainly no Croverniaent school
such as is round in other Arah states, through the length and
"breadth or the land, Eis Highness the Sultan has this natter
very much at heart and requested me to interview prospective
teacher candidates recsorniiended hy Ministry of Education,
Baghdad,daring rn^ forthooming visit there.Apart from the
moral /alue of a schoo] to the youth of Fuscat and Matrah
the advantage,to put the matter on no higher a plane,to
ftiture State administration is ohvious; for the standard of
knowledge and 1 iterary arion^st r/alis and Clerks in the
districts,is deplorably low.
iV In order to secure the means for proceeding at once
with a school,! "beg to submit for your consideration the
proposal that the Stat® may he allowed to repay the loan
halance outstanding spread in six-monthly instalments over a
period of H years instead of 2i years as at present
arranged. This proposal,vide para 1,is that instead of five
six monthly instalments of lis. 46740-5,seven six montlily
instalments of Es.53585-15 may he substituted.The slight
concession involved of a year's interest on two stiiall xinal
instalments would he of great assistance, alt' ough if no