Page 38 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

26 Records of Bahrain

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that the fort there should remain unoccu­
pied, while Sheikh Salman agreed to
reduce the transit duly on goods imported
from Bahrain to Qatar. Since then Zubarah
has ceased to be the main topic of Sheikh
Salman’s conversations with Government
officials, but it is always possible that some
quite small incident may re-open the
dispute. In April the Bahrain Petroleum
Company agreed to raise the royally payable
to the ruler on locally produced oil from
Rs. 3/8 to Rs. 10 per ton. This means
an increase in the Bahrain revenues of
about Rs. 90 lakhs per year. As a result the
ruler has turned his attention to develop­
ment schemes and already has a rough plan
prepared for extending the Manama!)
customs jetty for a distance of about four
miles and constructing a wharf at which
ocean-going steamers will be able to berth.
Me also is considering a project for pumping
up fresh water from springs under the sea
round the island and bringing an increased
area under cultivation. Meanwhile he has
engaged the services of a British agricultural
expert to advise on improved methods of
cultivation and on the growing of new crops.
There has been much building in Bahrain
during the year and a large hostel for
students is nearing completion. The surface
of some of the main roads has been greatly
improved. In March a census was held and
the total population was found to be
109,650. In October the Bahrain Govern­
ment look over responsibility for the local
quarantine administration. The Bahrain
Petroleum CompanyVefforls to find oil at a
lower horizon have failed, and there appears
to be little prospect of their finding any
fresh oil deposits until the sea-bed boundary
between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia has
been fixed and they arc permitted to operate
in the waters north of the islands.

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