Page 69 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

ii
56

Catholic Church was built in Bahrain before the last war on a site presented by
Shaikh Hamad who was granted a papal honour. It is within the diocese of the
Catholic Bishop of Aden which is manned by Italian Capuchins. After the
outbreak of the last war the Italian priest at Bahrain was interned and a British
Capuchin appointed in his place. On his death in 1947 he was succeeded by an
Indian. In 1949 the Bishop proposed to replace the latter by an Italian but as
a result of representations made to the ecclesiastical authorities a British priest was
eventually placed in charge of the parish with an Italian to assist him. With the
knowledge of the Saudi authorities these priests minister to the Catholics in the
employ of the Arabian-American Oil Company on the mainland. They visit Saudi i
Arabia in mufti and are described in their travel documents as “ teachers.” !
.
(/*) The Pearl Fisheries
152. The pearl fisheries of Bahrain and the Persian Gulf in general are
described in great detail in Lorimer’s Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf.(3'“‘) During the 5
period under review they have given rise to no political problem but the pearl
industry as a whole has suffered a very serious decline and except in the Trucial
States, where no oil has yet been produced, has ceased to have any substantial
economic importance. The first blow to the industry was the introduction of the
Japanese cultured pearl in the ’thirties of this century, and it suffered a further
decline from the lack of demand resulting from the war and its aftermath. Apart
from this most of the class who used to obtain a precarious livelihood from pearling
now prefer regular and more lucrative employment with an oil company. At the
beginning of the century according to Lorimer the number of Bahrain boats
employed in pearling exceeded 900. In 1953 the number was only 30.

(*■•) App. C. Part II, Lorimer, Vol. I.