"تقرير الإدارة عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج الفارسي للأعوام ١٩١٥-١٩١٩" [و‎‎١‎٤‎٣] (٣٩٦/٢٩٢)

FOR THE YEAR ing.
51
Two complaints of the sale of Baluch girls have been made before the
Political gene, or u ic le feultan has been unable to give satisfaction o win sr
to his incomplete jurisdiction in Khadhra and that portion of the Batineh coast
between Knadhra and feobar.
Since the close of the year a man has been caught selling slaves and from
him has been obearned a list of men daaling in slavery in Oman and of brokpr*
who supply the slaves in Mekran.
Ten slaves were manumitted during the year.
Trade fell off considerably and prices rose greatly during the year. The
Trade. imports which normally in peace times
•d a f\ a a Af a -P n ,. equal Es. 42,00,000 and exports
Rs. 40,00,000 fell respectively to Rs. 24,99,725 and Rs. 23,58,978.
The price of dollars continued high, and has proved a severe handicap to
merchants who are anxious to have a fixed coinage of rupees instead of the
fluctuating dollar rate.
Tne average peace rate of exchange is Rs. 142 per 100 dollars.
The prices for the year w r ere as follows :—
Rs.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
237 per ]00 dollars,
^
„ „
247 „ „ „
2^ » «
252 „ „ „
234 „ „ „
212 „ „ „
206 „ „ „
215
Ameri
ican mission.
A greater hardship for the poor than the fluctuation is the consequent
nucluation or the local copper pice. The normal rate is about 140-150 to the
rupee whereas it has fallen to 100 and less during the year.
As noted under Personnel Monsieur Jeannier, the Prench Consul at Muscat,
French interests. on ^ n( ? September from inflam-
, > nation of the kidneys. He had resided in
Muscat tor neariy eight years without going on leave and his health had conse
quently become very bad, indeed he rarely left his bouse. In the course of
two years he was only known to go out on four occasions.
There are now six Omani dhows remaining which are entitled to flv the
French Flag. ^
Doctor (Miss) Hosmon left for America
on 16th February.
-Revd. G. and Mrs. Van Persuem and Miss Lutton left for India in May
returning as usual in the autumn.
The rainfall for the year totalled only r96 or about half the average.
ciimaie and health. The highest temperature was 1J3-2 but
, the test of heat in Muscat is the state of
ne wet bulb rather than the actual highest recorded temperature
An epidemic of small-pox broke out in the beginning of March and con-
inued until the middle of June, 89 cases were reported in Muscat ana
Muttra and 48 deaths.
At the end of October the universal scourge of influenza appeared and
swept through the country. In the interior of Oman especially deaths were
numerous and the Imam Salim bin Rashid el Kharusi appointed a special day
prayer m the country outside Nezwa to stop its ravages.
o