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without an expensive electrical apparatus, Last season, when
several pearls bought from Bahrein were found to be cultured
pearls, a testing apparatus was used which is considered
infallible in the case of bored pearls, but in the case of
unbored ones there remains a slight margin of doubt. The
apparatus consists of a hollow needle containing two minute
mirrors. This is introduced into the pearl, the interior of which
is then illuminated by means of v powerful ray of electric light,
enabling the operator to see whether the heart of the pearl is natural
or not.
i
The Bahrein Government has forbidden the import of artificial
I and cultured pearls, hut the latter cannot be detected by customs
officers. It has been suggested that the Government should buy
a testing machine and charge a fee for the use of »t. As there is
no export duty on pearls it is not possible to form any accurate
idea of the average value of the pearls exported each year. In
19*27 it was estimated that the pearls in Bahrein at the end of the
season were worth about £2,000,000. £000,000 worth were taken
to London by the biggest buyer in Bahrein in that year.
After Bahrein the next most important market is Dabai,
on the Trucial coast of Oman. This port is rapidly rising in
importance as a pearl centre, but it will be some years before it
seriously menaces Bahrein’s predominant position. The famous
“ rose pink M pearls nearly all come from Dabai. Kuwait is
another important pearl centre.

VIII. KUWAIT.
General.—Kuwait is an independent Arab Stale under British
protection, but is not a British protectorate. The principality con­
sists roughly speaking of a semi-circular area of land bounded by
‘Iraq on the north, by the Kingdom of Xajd on the west and
south and by the head waters of the Persian Gulf on the east. The
islands of Warbah, Bubiyan, Maskan. Failakah, Auhah, Kubbar
and Umm-ul-Maradin also belong to Kuwait, while certain
surrounding territory is recognised as being common to Kuwait
and Xajd.
The importance of Kuwait lies mainly in the pearl fisheries.
There is practically no agriculture in the principality.

Government.—The internal administration is conducted by
the Sheikh, assisted in theory by an elected council of advisers,
two of whom are elected from the Sheikh's family and four from
the inhabitants. The council lias so far never met. His Majesty's
Government and the Government of India are represented bv a
Political Agent, who does not, however, hold any Consular Com­
mission. Under the Kuwait Order in Council of 1925 he is the