Page 175 - Arabian Studies (II)

CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY AND ii

POLITICAL ATTITUDES, AND THE
DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURE ON THE
COAST OF OMAN BETWEEN

1900 AND 1940
by M. MORSY ABDULLAH I;

There were four main developments in the economy of the Omani
Coast between 1900 and 1940 - the growth of the pearl trade from
the end of the nineteenth century, the emergence of Dubai from
1903 as the main port on the Coast, and then the decline of the pearl
industry, followed by the new revenues derived from the rent of
Shaijah airport and the conclusion of oil concessions during the I!
1930s. Generally, the main sources of income for the inhabitants of
the Omani Coast were agriculture, pearl-fishing, maritime commerce
and shipbuilding. Available trade statistics at the turn of the century
show the almost complete dependence of the people on pearl fishing
for the means of purchasing those ordinary necessities of life, which
they did not themselves produce.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Abu Dhabi owned the
largest diving fleet on the Coast with 410 boats, followed by Sharjah
with 360, Dubai 335, Umm al-Qaiwain 70, Ras al-Khaimah 58 and
‘Ajman 40. As the richest of the pearl fisheries in the Gulf lie
between the Qatar peninsula and Dubai, the island of Dalma in Abu
Dhabi waters became the centre for provisions and for the pearl
market during the diving season, an economic factor which added
also to the political weight of the State of Abu Dhabi during this
period.
Cox, Political Resident (1904-1914), objected to any foreign
interference in the Arab monopoly of pearling and was convinced
that the intrusion of foreigners supplied with dredgers and diving
equipment would drive thousands of Arabs to gun-running, slaving
and piracy for a living. Consequently, with the help of the British,
167