"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٣‎٢‎٥] (١٧٨٢/٤٦٨)

325
at thousands of pounds. Reprisals were made on the Arabs, and the
Turkish garrison of the province was increased, but without lasting results.
In 1906, after the close of the period, alarming attacks upon caravans
and military guards were renewed, and eventually Arab tribesmen assailed
the provincial capital and inflicted much loss on the troops holding it.
iiadt by Biitish Indian merchants in Hasa, which had flourished before
the Turkish occupation, had by this time been practically extinguished
fry insecurity and official interference.
Turkish affairs in Najd and Kuwait, being really external to the Najd and
Ottoman Empire, are dealt with further on. Kuwait.
Russian activity in the Persian Gulf, 1899-1905.
We now approach the subject of foreign activity in the Persian Gulf.
It may be remarked at the outset that the operations of Russia,—who,
though from of old she was the chief rival of Britain in the Middle East,
had previously confined her opposition to remote parts of Persia,—were
those which now most seriously menaced the established position of Britain
in that sea.
But first it is necessary to examine the situation, as between Britain and Eussian
Russia, in Persia as a whole. When Persia fell into financial difficulties P olic 7' in
eaily in the reign of Muzaffar-ud-Din Shah, negotiations were set on foot generally,
foi a joint British and Russian loan to the Shah^s Government ; but in
1900 they were stultified by a separate Russian loan of large amount which
was obtained by Persia on conditions that freed her from her obligations
to other foreign creditors, only to bring her into strict financial bondage
to Russia. Eurther Russian loans followed and were the means of securinp*
n T| • • ^
toi Russia important advantages in various political questions between
her and Britain in Persia. In 1903 the liabilities of Persia to Russia were
estimated at four million pounds sterling ; and, though in 1903 and 1904
Persia was persuaded to accept considerable advances of British money, a
vast superiority in the matter of financial obligation remained on the side
of Russia.
In 1899 Russia obtained an extension for ten years of the arrangement
by which railway construction in Persia was blocked ; and meanwhile her
own railway system was being extended towards the Russo-Persian
frontier, which it eventually reached at Julfah in 1904.
Russian influence was also in process of consolidation or extension m
various parts of Persia. A quarantine cordon established in Khurasan in