'Arabia. Handbooks prepared under the direction of the Historical Section of the Foreign Office - no 90' [‎59] (74/148)

Arabia]
EXTERNAL 59
been deflected eastward in order to pass Dhanmr,
Yerim, and Ibb. From Ibb a short branch runs to
Kataba, on the frontier of Yemen. A short cable
connects Sheikh Saad with Perim. Mecca is connected
by telegraph lines with Jedda, its port, and with
Taif, the summer residence of the richer Meccans.
Medina has a telegraph line to its port at Yambo, and
as far as Ma'an its telegraph line to Damascus lies m
Arabia.
(2) External
(a) Ports
The coast-line of Arabia is less extensive than might
have been expected, owing to the comparative lack o
indentations. Good natural harbours of considerable
size are rare. The three best are Aden, Muscat and
Jedda; Manama and Hodeida have a large trade,
but possess few natural facilities. These five ports
alone have more than local importance, though there
are many small harbours, some of which are now
beginning to be developed, especially along the Keel
Sea
Aden harbour extends 8 miles from east to west and
4 from north to south. It is divided by a little pro
montory into two bays, of which the western has a
depth of from 3 to 4 fathoms inside and from 4^ to o
across the entrance. Large vessels he off Steamer
Point at the end of the rocky peninsula which forms
the western boundary of the harbour. Passengers are
landed at Steamer Point, which constitutes the modern
town, but this is some distance from Old A^en the
centre of the import and export trade, and also from
the landing-place for lighters, with piers, warehouses,
&c A plan to link up by electric trams Old Aden,
Steamer Point, the coal stores,and perhaps also Sheikh
Othman, has not yet materialised. .
The bulk of the trade of Aden consists m the impor
tation of native produce from the ports of the near
African coast, and the exportation to the African coast
of manufactured goods and other imports from Europe,