"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٣‎٤‎٧] (١٧٨٢/٤٩٠)

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excavation of ancient sites ; and work at Babylon, begun in 1898 by a
German mission, continued throughout the period.
The actual interests of Germany in the Persian Gulf were thus, it will
be seen, small as yet ; but her prospective interests, dependent on the
Baghdad Kail way and on an expansion of trade, were very considerable.
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Belgian activity in the Persian Gulf, 1899-1905.
A small Belgian enterprise in the Gulf deserves mention as showing the p r ojected
readiness of all nations to participate, if a profitable opening could be found,
in business operations there. M. Simais, formerly Commercial Attache of
the Belgian Legation at Tehran and in 1901 Director-General of the Per
sian Customs of the South, was undoubtedly interested in the proceedings;
he had visions of a Belgian trading syndicate which would establish a bank
in Persia and a line of steamers in the Gulf in competition with existing
British institutions.
The prospecting operations of M. Simais' friends were carried out by a Cruise of
iii tli6 ^ Sclikft
small Belgian steam yacht, the " Selika" of Antwerp, commanded by
M. Adrien de Gerlache, who had once led a Belgian expedition of discovery
in the antartic regions. The party consisted, besides Al. de Gerlache, of a
military officer, an artist, a doctor and two men of science, the last being, it
was said, of French nationality. After leaving Masqat, where she arrived
on the 7th of March, the " Selika " cruised along the coast of Ruus-al-
Jibal and was not seen again until she appeared at Bahrain on t he 11th
April. According to statements by the party travelling on her she had
called at Dibai, had been detained a fortnight by an accident to her machi
nery at the island of Arzanah, and had spent two days at Dohah; but the
length of time during which she had lingered in the neighbourhood of the
pearls banks appeared suspicious, especially as the remaindei of hei cruise
was short and as M. Simais stated that she came in connection with a peail
fishing concession granted by the Persian Government two years previously.
On the 21st of April the " Selika " left Bahrain for Qatif, and on the
•23rd she reached Bushehr, whence she took her departure for Bombay. It
was subsequently aecertained that the travellers in the Selika had
purchased or otherwise obtained about 3,000 francs' worth of small pearls
which they sold at a high profit on their return to Europe. ^
In November 1901 M. de Gerlache reappeared at Bahrain, but without
the " Selika," and his pearl-dealing operations were this time unsuccessful.