ABSTRACT
In his study Oman Since 1856, Robert Landen has noted that in the 1860s Western-controlled economic enterprises began to establish themselves in the Persian Gulf region. In fact, during much of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, British-owned shipping competed successfully for the opportunity to carry cargo between India and the Gulf. The expedition laid the groundwork for what became a British-imposed maritime peace in the Gulf and assured that British political interests there would be paramount. Modern commercial trade generally is conducted within a secure political environment. Lane believes that a monopoly is the most rational economic form which can be employed in the “production” of security. The competitive position of British shippers was linked to security costs. As long as security costs were high, the British could expect to compete successfully with their Arab and Persian counterparts. Persian and Arab shippers had to adapt to the challenge by purchasing the new technology or be relegated to the backwaters.
