Page 400 - PERSIAN 9 1941_1947

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(ii) In the early part of the year a comparatively serioue
smallpox epidemic ocourred at Sharjah and Dubai during whioh
several thousand vaccinations woro carrlod out. Prompt

action by the politioal and modlcal authorities resulted
in the outbreak bolng rapidly brought under control. a
further threat at Raa-al-Khalnah lator in the your resulted
in the vaccination of 2,400 pooplo in the Ras-al-Khaimah —

Rons area and the almost immediate control of the diooase.
(iii) Civilian motor transport, except in the case of a
very few curs owned by the more important Shaikhs, has baooae
a thing of the past on the Truoiol Coast. Lorries and cars

which normally plied for hire were still awaiting spare parts
at the end of the year and the donkey has once more come into
his own.
(iv) The ccapanios formed at Dubai and Oharjah to organize

the distribution of cereals and a further commercial body
constituted specifically for the control of piecogcods havo
functioned with conspicuous success throughout the year. The
conpanios dealing r.dth cereals havo also been entrusted, under

the gcnoral supervision of the British political Authorities,
with tho operation of the barter system which is designed to
encourago the import of goods not otherwise available locally
and wfcioh are essential for the wellbeing of the people/provi­

ding for export authorised quantities of goods in demand
outside the Trucial coast.
(v) The pearling season was on the whole not particularly

successful although the local representative in Dubai of llossrs.
Dhaaanaal Issard&s and Brothers, Ur. Qunshaa D**, 1* reported
to have invested some twelve laos of rupees for the second

year running. The number of bouts which wont out was less
than last year for the reasons already mentioned in conneotion
with Bahrain, that is to say, steady employment on land
provided by the building programmes of the Royal Air Force and

the Uhlted states Air Transport Corps at tharjoh induoed a
jKzbor of divers to rernin on shore*