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Chapter Seven

                 museum, and now, within the range of its Portuguese cannon, hotels
                 catering for businessmen from all over the world stand on the other
                 side of the creek. A road tunnel has been driven under the creek, and
                 a second bridge constructed near the inland end of the creek. Spoil
                 from dredging has been used to reclaim land on the seaward side of
                 Dairah to await development along a Corniche road; while on the
                 Dubai side the harbour was eventually extended to 35 berths, and
                 dry docks to rival any in the world were constructed.
                   Up to the end of 1973 the growth of Dubai as reflected in these
                 ambitious development projects was partly in response to the
                 conditions created by an astute merchant community with a network
                 of foreign contracts. The other part of the growth was, however, the
                 result of a deliberate policy to attract additional business to Dubai.
                 Neither the activities of the oil company nor the income from oil itself
                 actually generated the greater part of the economic growth in Dubai.
                 Since trade is concomitant with communications, all significant
                 development projects up to the end of 1973 were concerned with
                 communications in one form or another. But after the economic
                 upheaval following the 1973 October War and the enormous increase
                 in oil revenues, it was decided to embark on a programme of
                 industrialisation; Dubai’s future was not to be based on trade and
                 services alone but also on manufacturing industries.
                   Dubai’s new industrial centre is under construction at Jabal 'Ali,
                 22 miles south-west along the coast. As with the development of
                 Dubai itself the Jabal 'Ali project revolves around an imposing
                 harbour scheme which will eventually contain 66 berths for ocean­
                 going vessels. Of the many and diverse industrial projects which
                 were discussed at the inception of the scheme in the summer of 1976,
                 the aluminium-smelter is the only large one to progress past the
                 planning stage yet. This and any other large industrial projects
                 depend on the availability of an adequate supply of cheap gas; some
                 associated gas is available from Dubai’s oil-fields, but efforts are
                 being made to obtain further supplies. The construction of this
                 harbour, too, and the development of large industrial projects are
                 under the direct control of Shaikh Rashid bin Sa'Id. A great number
                 of smaller private industrial projects are being developed both in
                 Jabal 'Ali and in Dubai. The historical pattern of commercial
                 enterprise on the part of the Ruler creating business opportunities
                 for merchants is being repeated.
                   Since the first modest attempt to improve the entrance of the creek
                 early in the 1950s and thus to influence fortune, the present Ruler of
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