"The substance of a series of articles written for the Morning Post."--Introd Introduction.--French intrigues at Maskat.--The pearl islands of the Gulf.--Cruising on the Persian coast.--Shall we give Russia Bunder Abbas?--Visit to the pirate coast.--The importance of Koweit.--Persian rule in the delta of the Shat-al-Arab.--The position of Turkey in the Gulf.--The commerce of the Gulf.--The politics of the Gulf.--By the waters of Babylon.--On the Euphrates.--The sacred cities of the Shiahs.--Bagdad.--The passage of the Taurus.--The Bagdad railway.--The oil-fields of Persia.--Kermanshah.--Persian carpets.--Routes in Western Persia.--Teheran.--Great Britain versus Russia.--Russia's policy.--Wanted--a British policy in Persia.--On the Russian road.--Russia's advance on Persia via the Caucasus