Page 51 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

PART II—CHAPTER XI.
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inconvenient rise in house-rent and general prices, while they do not constitute*
statistical statements, arc yet facts which could not, perhaps, exist, unless the
statistics of trade were very favourable, whether tabulated or not.
16. On the other hand, it should never be forgotten that this line is, perhaps
singular in one respect, viz., that while, on the one hand, civilization and trade
are increasing more than we could have expected, we have, on the other hand,
constantly to watch on the Arab littoral tribes who have immemorially been
accustomed to dwell in a condition wherein every man’s hand was ever prone
to be raised against his neighbour. To keep the maritime peace along the
strongholds of these littoral Chieftainships, is no child’s play. It is not along by
the sudden and occasional appearance of a man-of-war that this can be thoroughly
done. What is required is uniform vigilance and pressure. The position of the
Resident as arbitrator of the maritime truce may be aptly compared with that of
an officer holding a civilized frontier against lawless borderers. Those borderers
would never be kept quite or be reduced to order and industry by intermittent
sallies from a garrison, accompanied by tardy retalistion ; what is wanted is the
constant presence of watchful outposts ready at any moment to put down raids,
and uphold the peaceful and well inclined. The tribes so dealt with gradually
come to perceive that the object of the civilized power in patrolling is not
vengeance, but the general good and the maintenance of peace and progress.
The tribes thus come to learn also that raids and piracy are unsuccessful in prac­
tice. Our light gun-boats are such out posts and patrols for the Arab Coast; and
my respectful and earnest recommendation to the Right Hon’ble the Governor in
Council is to keep the small sea force available for the Gulfs of Oman and Fersia
under one head, and to permit that head to patrol, detach, or concentrate it as he
may deem the necessities of the moment to dictate. The telegraph runs through
these regions, thus giving the Resident instant intelligence of whatever happens ;
although, as a rule, the littorals of Makran and Muscat are entirely peaceful, and
it is only along the Arab Coast of the Persian Gulf, between Cape Mussendom
and Koweit, that the maritime Arabs require habitual watching. But all that I
could write cn the principal involved in this agreement may be found better
expressed in the writings of the General who first taught to meditate similar
problems. I allude to those of the late Colonel John Jacob.

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