Persian Gulf Pilot

descriptions of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.

A scarce pilot guide of the Persian gulf describing Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, and numerous other villages and towns along the Arabian coast. Includes coastal views of Ras Al Hadd, Sur, Qalhat, As Suwaiq, Sohar, Fujairah, Khasab, the Tunb Islands, Abu Musa, Sirri Island, Al Jazirah Al Hamra, Al Shebeakah, Rams, Ajman, Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas, the Doha Fort, Bahrain Harbour, and Tarut Island, amongst others.

The guide was published to give accurate sailing directions to the ports, towns, and safe anchorages along the Arabian coast from Ras al Hadd on the eastern peninsular of Oman to Shatt al Arab in the North, and back along the coast of Iran to Bandar Abbas and beyond. With much early information on the principal settlements of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, and an interesting glossary of Arabic-English key terms.

By 1955 it was clear how the oil boom had changed the economy of the region. The first chapter gives an overview and includes the character of the sea and ports, description of major towns and cities and their respective populations (for example 18,000 in Qatar), the main economic imports and exports of each locale, and considerable weather information.

Dubai is described as well as Daira: 'Daira is a large suburb consisting of mat huts, amongst which stand a number of well-built houses.' 'Dibai (Dubai) contains the residence of the Shaikh. There are several tall towers in Dibai; the fort is a conspicuous square building with a round tower... from which the Shaikh's flag is displayed. There is a hospital.'

Abu Dhabi is similarly described: 'This town consists for the most part of huts and extends along the coast for nearly two miles. In the town there is a small fort, partially surrounded by trees, with five towers close together... The coast in the vicinity of Abu Dhabi is very low and the beach is of white sand'. The fort is given it's own view on one of the plates. The great pearl bank is also given attention: 'this extensive bank... fills the great bight in the southern part of the Persian Gulf.' 'Many islands, both close to the coast and far offshore, lie on the bank... With the exception of Dalma none has permanent inhabitants, though they are frequented by the pearl boats during the summer and by fisherman from Abu Dhabi in the winter.' 'The best pilots for the coast are to be obtained at Abu Dhabi.'

Much detail is also given to Qatar and Doha: 'This town, situated on the southern side of the harbour, is the capital of Al Qatar peninsula and had a population, in 1947, of about 12,000.' ' The Shaik's palace... is a large building with many colonnades, and an open balustrade round its roof.' ' The chief exports are gutch, fish and pearls; imports are food, timber and manufactured goods.'

Bahrain is also described, with Manama being called the 'principal town and port', and as well as the trade being described there is also note of the health of the region: 'Manama is more liable to epidemics than the smaller ports; since 1920, however, there have been no more epidemics in Bahrain than in any other of the larger Gulf ports.' It is interesting also that one of the major changes of the supplement is changing the name 'Bahrein' to 'Bahrain'.

Kuwait is described as greatly altered by the oil wealth: ' Wealth derived from oil revenues is being spent on completely replanning and rebuilding the town,... Government offices, schools, hospitals, electric generating and water distillation stations, private houses and blocks of flats are all being built in the most modern style'. 'Pearl fishing is now practically extinct. There are, to all intents and purposes, no exports. The chief imports are food of all kinds, machinery, motor vehicles and building materials.'

Tenth edition, with the second supplement dated 1959; 8vo (24.5 x 16 cm); supplement loosely inserted at rear, 4 coloured plates of diagrams, two maps acting as an index for admiralty charts, 16 double-sided plates showing numerous coastal views, further in-text weather diagrams, notice of supplement tipped in to face title; publisher's blue cloth, lettered in yellow, spine a little sunned, joints professionally restored, very good copy; l, 312, [1] pp.