'A strategical study of Persia and the Persian Gulf' [‎48] (56/150)

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78. The chief centres of population along the Arabian littoral
. are Kuwait (35,000), Manamah
tance of certain centres ^'his- (25,000), Dohah (12,000), Masqat
torical, political, and foreign (10,000) and Matrah (12,000). These
interests. have already been alluded to in
paragraph 70. The only place of any importance in the hinter
land is Hofuf (25,000), which is the principal town of the Turkish
province of El Hasa and situated in the fertile oasis of that name.
A garrison of Turkish troops is maintained and it is the centre of
Turkish influence in the interior.
79. Foreign interests are not great in the Arabian littoral, as
previously mentioned, the bulk of the oversea trade is in British-
Indian hands and, of the remainder, the greater portion is
with Basrah and Persia. Politically also British interests are
predominant. During the last century British war vessels cons
tantly patrolled the Gulf, suppressed piracy and were gene
rally responsible for maintaining order on the sea and along
the coast. Various agreements have been made with the
independent chiefs from time to time in pursuance of the policy
of keeping order and maintaining the status quo. Of other
foreign interests, that of Turkey, which is based on the vague
aspiration to dominion over the whole of Arabia, is the most
important. The political significance of Turkish ambitions is
further discussed in Part II. The only other foreign interest
of any moment is that of the French in the arms traffic with
Masqat, which is alluded to under the heading of arms traffic.
Arms traffic.
80 The question of contraband trade in arms and ammunition
in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. is one that has, of late years, become of
considerable local interest in the region in question.
81 A trade in rifles discarded by European Armies has existed in
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. since 1884, and in 1897 the Persian Government
entered into an agreement with the British Government by which
the ships of the latter were empowered to search ships in Per
sian waters and to confiscate contraband cargoes. This action
drove the trade to Masqat, which became the main emporium
of arms in the Gulf and from which consignments were trans
ported in native craft to the Persian and Baluchistan coasts.
82. It was not long before the growing supply attracted the
attention of the Afghans and Pathans inhabiting the North-West
Frontier districts of India, and a regular traffic in arms was estab
lished between the coast and these regions. Naturally the increase