Page 375 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

I
1
- 7 -
Upto the end of the year, the Shaikh had not made,
up his mind to prepare a division of the property between
tho heirs, on which such a power of attorney could be based.
VIII. COST OF living;
The cost of living continued to be very high
throughout the year and was aggravated by the increased cost
of drinking water, of servants, and of labour of all kinds.
These increases were, however, to some extend mitigated by
improvements in the rationed distribution of foodstuffs and
piece-goods, and by the extension of price control to certain
commodities not previously controlled.
The following is a comparative statement of prices
in 1943 and 1944:-

1 9 4 3. 1 9 4 4.
Wbeat(c one rolled) . • • fa. 33-0-0 ,Rs. 28-14-0 per bag.
Dates...................... n 14-0*-0 tt 15-00-0 per basket.
Sugar{controlled) ... Tt 75-0-0 rt 76- 8-0-per bag.
Charcoal................ ft 60-0-0 T1 48-00-0 per bag(In­
ferior qua­
lity).
Tea (controlled) .... TT 4-0-0 n 2-00-0 per lb.
button.. • ••••••••••• »» 2-0-0 rt 2-00-0 per lb.
Beef.... Tt '1-9-0. »t 1-10-0 " tt
Fish.... tt 1-0-0. Tt 1- 8-0 " Tt
Hi lk___ rt 0-10-0 rt 1-00-0 per bottle;
Firewood It 36-0-0. rt 48-00-0 per Rafa.

IX. WAR WORK.
The Inland Water Transport Detachment continued to
assemble barges until November when they had completed their
initial project. They assembled a total of 98 barges. They
have materials for a further 30 barges landed here but it
has been decided that they are not now required in this
theatre of operations and preparations are being made to ship
them away and to transfer the Detachment.

X. ROYAL NAVY.
The only ships of the Royal Navy to visit Kuwait
were H.K.S. Fiery Cross and H.Ki.S. Seabelle. H.M.S. Fiery Cross
called on the 7th October to bring Commodore J.N. Howson, R.N.,
to bid farewell to the Shaikh on his relief by Commodore
I.v;. V/hitehorn, R.N. (Retired), who visited Kuwait in
H.M.S. Seabelle on the 14th November.

XI. ROYAL AIR FORCE.
Numerous visits were paid to Kuwait by aircraft of
the R.A.F. and many hundreds flew over head. The R.A.F.
maintained a signals detachment In Kuwait throughout the
year, and also a detachment in charge of an aerial navigation
beacon situated at Bandar Shuwaikh. They also gave a
demonstration In Kuwait of the n'.;arahn Spitfire, purchased
out of Kuwait’s contributions to the Persian Gulf Fighter
Fund.
HI. KIT,-AIT OIL COMPANY.

The Kuwait Oil Company continued to operate on a
’closed down* basis throughout the year, and their engineering
staff rendered invaluable services in the maintenance of
msohanical equipment of all kinds in Kuwait. In addition,
they did a great deal to mitigate the water shortage in the
summer/