Page 93 - The Persian Gulf Historical Summaries (1907-1953) Vol IV_Neat

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prevented from fishing on the banks, but that
tho object in view might probably bb attainable
by “ indirect methods,” i.e.:—
“ By authorizing tho Chiefs to abstain from all inter­
course with such interlopers, and to utilizo the powers
which they possess of interdicting tho importation of
foreign diving appliances, of refusing to lend any
assistance in men, boats, or in any other form, or, if ueces-
sary, in tho last resort, of removing any such fbroiguer
from their territories."
It can hardly he maintained that this solution
is satisfactory; the pursuit of such a course,
oven if effective in its immediate object, might
not improbably givo riso in practice to a sharp
diplomatic conflict, and result in the serious
discomfiture of His Majesty's Government, whose
guiding principle of free trade in the Gulf would
appear as of varying interpretation, while its
assertion would clearly he sacrificed to meet the
exigencies of a critical situation.
With the rapid extension of German enter­
prise in these regious the pearl fisheries arc not
unlikely to receive considerable attention within
the next few years, and it appears eminently
desirable to determiue whether a situatiou at
present fraught witli danger and uncertainty
cannot he regularized in a manner likely to
conciliate conflicting interests.
His Majesty’s Government are at present on
the horns of a dilemma—on the one hand, they
cannot prevent dredging operations by foreigners;
ou the other, they nrc faced with the knowledge
that such operations will render destitute a large
number of Arabs, who in default of the pearl
fisheries, must either starve? or turn pirates
(see p. i4).
For the welfare, and tho tranquillity of these
tribes Ilis Majesty’s Government are by pres­
cription responsible; to secure these objects
British lives and money have been sacrificed on
a large scale; and to abandon now the poliey
of n century would lie both misguided and
pusillanimous.
Safeguarding of the Pearl An alternative course would be to approach
Fisheries. foreign Governments and to explain the pecu­
liarity of the situation; the measures taken in
the course of the last 100 years to suppress
piruey and to maintain order; the interest of all
who frequent the Gulf in the tranquillity of the
tribes inhabiting the coasts; the complications
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