'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎68v] (141/180)

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the rest large jollyboats merely: these run to Bahrain, Basrah, Lingeh and Masqat
but not to India.
There is no trade worthy of mention outside the town of Abu Dhabi, in the
article on which the subject is treated of. The villages of Muzaira'ah and Taraq
in Llwah are small local centres for the distribution of goods.
Communications. —The routes in the principality are described in the article
on Trucial 'Oman.
Administration. —The present Shaikh of Abu Dhabi, Zaid-bin-Khalifah, rules
his principality absolutely within the limits to which his powers of coercion extend*
and, though his control over the Bedouin portion of his subjects is incomplete, as
is the case more or less in all Arab Shaikhdoms, his authority over them is unusually
great. His is by far the most powerful personality in Trucial 'Oman at the present
time, and his influence is not only dominant throughout that region but extends
to the independent Baraimi Oasis and even to 'Ibri in the Sultanate of 'Oman.
An estimate of his annual revenues, in so far as they are ascertainable, follows
below: the principal item, it will be observed, is that derived from the pearl
fisheries:—
Amount.
Dues on pearl boats and operatives and other income dependent on the pearl industry 57.000
Commission levied by his son on transactions in pearls at Dalmah island ... ... 5.000
Agricultural taxes paid in kind by the Bani Yas of Liwah in Dhafrah 2 500
Five thousand Jirabs of dates worth $1 per Jirab, rendered as tribute by the
Dhawahir of the Baraimi Oasis ... ... ... ... ... 5.000
Lucerne supplied by the same Dhawahir for 100 tribal horses maintained by the
Shaikh in the Farainii Oasis ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,000
A cash subsidy paid him by the Sultan of 'Oman for restraining the Bedouins of the
Baraimi Oasis and Dhahirah and preventing raids by them on the villages of
Batinah, perhaps 3,000
Total 75,500
The last item, though it has been in existence for at least 10 years, has only
recently come to notice: the payment is of a private and personal nature and its
amount is necessarily uncertain, but the fact that it is regularly made throws much
light on the present political position in 'Oman.
Foreign relations and interests—Jhz ruler of Abu Dhabi is one of the Trucial
Shaikhs, whose position is described in the article on Trucial 'Oman. The only
loreign interests in the principality are British, and these are described in the
article on Abu Dhabi Town.
mun 1 ca P^ a ^ ^habi Principality in Trucial 'Oman and the only
TOWN settlement of importance which that principality contains.
Abu Dhabi Town is situated on the coast of Trucial 'Oman about 88 miles
south-west of Sharjah Town: it extends tor about \\ miles along the low sandy
coast and consists chiefly of mat huts with a tew stone buildings. At sea, 15 miles
to the northward, is Hadd, the nearest of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. pearl banks. The
largest edifice is the fort ol the Shaikh at a little distance inland behind the town;
not lar from it, on the outskirts of the town proper, is the separate bazaar of the
Indian traders. The anchorage^ for large vessels is totally unsheltered and lies
more than two miles oil the shore. At the back of the town are some stunted
date trees and water is obtained from wells: 35 years ago most of the drinking
water ol the place used to be fetched from Dibai, but recently potable water has
become obtainable in the vicinity of the town, especially at a place 3 or 4 miles
irom it, pits are dug in which the water collects at 4 to 5 feet below the ground
id - Immcdiatel y ^ ie sou th of the town is the large shallow lagoon of Khor-
al-Batin, and to the east a creek connected with it, both of which are described in
the article on the Abu Dhabi Principality.
The population ol the town may be about 6,000 souls, about ^ Bani Yas and
the rest other tribes. The Bani Yas sections are A1 Bu Falah, 40 persons; Qubaisat,
380; Maharibah, 300;_ Al Bu Falasah, 200; Qumzan, 250; Al Bu Hamir,_300;
ruimaithat, 500, Mazari', 300; and Hawamil, 500. The other tribes are Al Bu
Mahai^ SOO; Sudan, 375; Marar, 200; Thamairat, 120; Al Bin Nasir, 120; Al
Bu Amim, 120; Khamarah (said to be originally from Khamir in Persia), 375;
* A plan of this anchorage is given in Chart No. 2373—2837-A.