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‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1899/1900’ [‎288r] (49/150)

The record is made up of 1 volume (60 folios). It was created in 1900. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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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. ASP MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. FOE THE YEAR 1899.1900. 41
P ART iii.-trade repost of the persian gulp por 1899.
general remarks.
Trade, generally speaking, was stationary during the year 1899 It
certainly was an improvement on that of 1898. but the improvement was not ns
great as was at first anticipated, owing to failure of rain during the later part
of the season. Ihe trade of these parts depends principally on the amount of
the rainfall, as a good rainfall stimulates export of cereals and the consequent
import of foreign goods. Sufficient rain has fallen this year everywhere, and
an abnormal harvest is expected.
Prices of food-stuffs were from 30 to 40 per cent, less in the vear under
report than in 1898.
Although the harvest for the year 1899 was much better than those of
the last few years, the embargo on the export of grain continued throughout
the year. Hie prohibition lias been detrimental to British firms, as, while
natives are able to evade it under one pretext or another, Europeans are
absolutely forbidden to buy or even to remove grain from one place in Persia
to another. It is hoped that this unnecessary restriction will be removed
during the current year.
Currency. —Reference was made in last report to the debased state of the
currency of the country. The inconvenience to which merchants were put on
account of the unsatisfactory state of the currency has disappeared, to some
extent, owing partly to the partial withdrawal of the objectionable and illegal
notes called "Bijecks'* which a native company had put into circulation in
Bushire, in contravention of the monopoly granted by the Persian Government
to the Imperial Bank of Persia.
Customs House. —The management of, and arrangements for the protection
of, meI'chants , goods at the Customs House unfortunately continue unsatisfac
tory, but frauds and robberies have diminished since the punishment of the
culprits involved in the fraudulent jettison of cargo S.S. Farran in 189S.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Exchange.—DMnvg the year 1899 fluctuations occurred in sterling
exchange between the rates of 55 krans per pound and krans 52J per pound
for bank paper. It touched its highest point in March and its lowest in
August. The fluctuations have at no time during the year been at all violent.
Rupee exchange has varied between krans 3*65 per rupee, at which it
stood at the end of the year, and krans 3*45 per rupee for bank paper.
Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. in silver have fluctuated between the same limits.
Specie, — Considerable quantities of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. , sovereigns, Turkish pounds,
Austrian dollars, and other coins have been imported, and exported from and
to Aden, Bombay, Arabian and Red Sea ports. No reliable statistics under
this head are unfortunately available, but the quantity which has come under
notice amounts to Rl,10,92,900=£739,527.
In addition to the above, bar silver to the value of about £60,000==
119,00,000 has been imported into Persia via Bushire during 1899.
Mule-hire.— year opened at krans 100 per 100 maunds (775ibs) and
rates were steady till the grazing season commenced, when a fall to krans 80
took place. This was followed by a rise to krans 90 during April and May,
after which ai gradual decline took place, rates touching krans 672 m '
Prom this period to the end of the year the highest figure was krans 75 per
100 maunds of 7751bs.
Freight. —The year opened with a quotation of 22s. per ton to London.
It gradually rose during the year, and stood at in December S
<5

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Administration Report on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. 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 Muskat [Muscat] Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for 1899-1900, published by the Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India (Calcutta), forming part of the Selections from the Records of the Government of India, Foreign Department, and based on reports sent to Government by the 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. and the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Muscat.

The report is divided up into a number of sections and subsections, as follows:

Part 1, is a General Summary (folios 268-71) written by the 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. , Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm John Meade:

  • Section 1: entitled General , includes: a report on the year’s rainfall and harvest; the Governorship of Bushire; public peace and tranquillity in and around Bushire; public health and measures to restrict cholera and the plague in the Gulf; Persian currency; customs house arrangements in Bushire; compensation claims; and the Resident’s tours through the region during the year;
  • 2: Oman – Muscat: including: a change in personnel, with the role of Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. being taken over by Captain Percy Zachariah Cox from Major Christopher George Forbes Fagan; the Sultan of Muscat’s finances; French proposals to construct a coal depot in Muscat; use of the French flag by Muscat vessels; association of the French flag with the arms and slave trades; the impact of cholera and plague in the region;
  • 3. Oman – Pirate coast, including: a list of the those shaikhs in the region who have met with the Resident in the past year; Arab-Persian relations over Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh], and the expulsion of Persians from that port; the discovery of a large pearl at Kumzār and its subsequent sale for a lower-than-expected price; the prevalence of smallpox on the Arab coast;
  • 4. Bahrain, including: the wounding of two British-Indian subjects; difficulties discharging cargoes in Bahrain; and the death of Aga Muhummad Rahim, the Native News Agent in Bahrain;
  • 5. El-Nejd, with no report due to the recommendation that no one be deputed to travel there;
  • 6. Koweit [Kuwait]: no particulars reported;
  • 7. Persian Arabistan: the navigation of the Kārūn river, and opening up of river and land routes for trade;
  • 8. Fars and Persian coast: Bandar-e Lengeh in Persian hands; the arrival of the British Vice-Consul for Bunder Abbas [Bandar-e ʻAbbās];
  • 9. Persian Baluchistan: delays in compensation claims against the murder of Mowladad Khan; a change in the Directorship of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Telegraphs Department; rumours of a revolt against the Shah in Persian Baluchistan;
  • 10. Slave Trade: numbers of slave captured and manumitted during the year;
  • 11. Piracy: cases of piracy reported during the year, with details of where and against whom they were committed;
  • 12. Navy: details of the movements of British naval vessels (Sphinx, Lapwing and Pigeon) and significant foreign vessels, including Russian warship Gilyak;
  • 13. Official Changes: changes in British personnel;
  • 14. Changes among foreign representatives, with particular reference to German, French and Dutch representatives.

An appendix to part 1 (folios 272-75) includes statistical tables comprising meteorological data for the region; dispensaries in Bushire and data for the numbers of patients, diseases, surgical operations and income and expenditure of the 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. dispensary.

Part 2 (folios 276-78) is a separate report from the Muscat Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , written by Cox, with reports on events in Muscat, Rostak [Rustāq], Sohar, Soor [Sur], and Dhofar [Z̧ufār], including: accidental shootings by Wahabee [ Wahhābī A follower of the Islamic reform movement known as Wahhabism; also used to refer to the people and territories ruled by the Al-Saud family. ] tribesmen; the appearance in Muscat of cholera and the plague; British and foreign naval movements in Muscat; and a statistical overview of manumission applications heard at the agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. .

Appendix A to Part 2 (folios 278v-85) is a detailed report with statistical data on the cholera epidemic in Muscat and Oman, written by the Lieutenant-Colonel Atmaram Sadashiv Jayakar, Chief Surgeon at Muscat. Jayakar’s report contains historical data on outbreaks of cholera in Muscat, symptoms of the disease, mortality statistics, treatment and its results, preventative and sanitation measures. Civil hospital and dispensary statistics follow on folios 285v-287v.

Part 3 (folios 288) is a trade report of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for 1899, written by Meade. Its appendices (folios 289-328) comprise tables showing the value of all goods imported and exported to and from various parts of the Gulf region, and the numbers of vessels (with figures on tonnage) of various nationalities plying their trade in the region in each port.

Part 4 (folios 329-30) is a separate trade report with statistical data for Muscat for 1899-1900.

Part 5 (folios 331-35) is a trade report for Mohammerah [Khorramshahr] and the Kārūn river for the year 1899.

Extent and format
1 volume (60 folios)
Arrangement

The report is arranged into a number of sections and subsections, with statistic data in tabular format directly following written sections. There is a contents page at the front of the report (f. 267) which lists the report’s contents in alphabetically ascending order, and refers to the report’s own pagination sequence.

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English in Latin script
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‘Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Maskat Political Agency for 1899/1900’ [‎288r] (49/150), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/V/23/77, No 379, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023626792.0x000033> [accessed 10 March 2025]

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