It Has Been
Satisfactorily Ascertained, That The Clearing Out And Repairing The
Old Tanks And Wells Will Be Sufficient To Secure An Ample Supply Of
Water For A Very Extensive Population, The Report Of Those Gentlemen
Employed In Analyzing Its Quality Being Highly Favourable.
A little allowance must, of course, be made for the sanguine nature of
the expectations formed by persons whose
Imaginations are dazzled by
the splendid visions of the future arising before them; still, enough
appears to have been demonstrated to justify a strong hope that there
are no serious difficulties in the way of our permanent occupation of
a place which we have succeeded in rescuing from Arab tyranny. It will
be long, perhaps, before the neighbouring sheikhs will consent to an
amicable arrangement with the British authorities of Aden, for they
at present entertain the most exaggerated notions of the wealth of its
new possessors.
The English, with their usual thoughtless improvidence, threw about
their money so carelessly, that, soon after their arrival, every
article of household consumption doubled and trebled in price,
the remuneration for labour rising in proportion. This improvident
expenditure has had the effect of making the people discontented.
Imagining our resources to be inexhaustible, they do not know how much
to ask for their commodities or their services, and it will require
great firmness and discretion, on the part of the persons in
authority, to settle the fair price for both. The erection of new
houses, which are called for by nearly every fresh arrival, even in
their present light construction, serves very materially to enrich the
inhabitants of Aden, the natural consequence being an increase of the
industrious portion of the population, while it may be confidently
expected that the commencement of superior works will attract a
superior class of persons to the place.
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