Page 298 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

600 Records of Bahrain

bo run as, for instance Kuwait is, as an Arab city on
Arab lines. The anowcr is tnat the population of the tY/o
cities is wholly dissimilar. The population of Kuwait io

largely Bcdouini thoir outlook is towards and of the deoert.
The people who come and shop there are the desert Arabo of
the interior. Kuy/ait commanded till recently the pick of
the Bedouin tribes, the Ajman and Mutair, and all their
wealth and trade came from traffic witn the interior and

from their flocks and herds. Finally Kuwait has a homo­
geneous population.
6. The population of Bahrain is hetrogeneous and
divided by racial and religious differences - Bejdis,
Wahabis, Persians, Sunnis, Shiahs and large colonies of
j Mohammedan and Hindu Indians. Bahrain is a purely

\ commercial centre its outlook is towards Bombay and the
1 •
\ stock markets of the world on v/rilch if depends to sell it3
pearls. The people who come and shop there are largely the
wealthy pearl merchants of Paris and Bombay, it has no
tribes worth mentioning, and an enervating and relaxing

climate which shows itself in the Arabs vmo have settled
there. it3 wealth comes fror.i its pearls almost entirely:
it may perhaps be increased shortly by the discovery of oil.
7.
flow with a population such as this, many of whose
are extiemely wealthy, and which is brought in
I contact y.ith the outside world than tne population

-
I of any other place in tne Bull*, it is not unnatural to find
e desiie lor decent administration arid for the
amenities which they obtain elsewhere. As was stated in
your telegram referred to above, Y/nat we have done is t
in itself. 7/e have not foisted upon an unv/illing people
measures whici. they did not want or a home oi low paid
officials neither have we introduced vexatious rules or
;
i egalationo. ,lc have improved the lot of the uiver and large -
ly rescued him from virtual slavery: v/c have established
simple