274 



THE TREASURY. 



ture of the Prince were easily defrayed out of this 

 sum, whilst the surplus must have been consider- 

 able. The income might easily have been in- 

 creased, and the outlay have been diminished by 

 improving the administration ; but the Sayyid 

 had 6 some time before his death reached that 

 epoch of life when age and weariness determine 

 men to consider the status quo as the supreme 

 wisdom.' 



Under the new regime affairs did not im- 

 prove. An Indian firm farmed the customs 

 throughout the Zanzibar dominions for the an- 

 nual sum of $190,000, and the following is the 

 official statement of the revenues derived by c His 

 Highness the Sultan,' 1 in 1863-4. 



Customs dues ... ... ... $190,000 



Pembadues ... ... ... ... 6,000 



Poll-tax of Makhadim ... ... ... 10,000 



Private clove plantations ... ... 15,000 



Total $221,000 



Deduct subsidy paid to Maskat ... 40,000 



Balance $181,000 

 The income, thus sadly fallen olf, was hardly 

 enough for the necessaries of the ruler, and left 



1 Commercial Beports, received at the Foreign Office from 

 H. M.'s Consuls, between July 1, 18G3, and June 30, 1864. 

 London, Harrison and Co. In 18G2 the revenue of Maskat was 

 computed to reach the very respectable cipher of £1,065,040 

 per annum. 



