Page 153 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat
P. 153
State finances, 1928-1932 455
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"Thc Port is mainly served both for passenger and
cargo by the British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.,
whoso stoamors call here weekly with the upraail, and
fortnightly with the down mail. Also a weekly
mail service with the mainland ports has been unof
ficially instituted, and is carried on by a local
motor launch, The chiof export from Bahrain is
pearls, whose value is only estimable, and doe3
not appear here. It would be of great assistanoo
to merchants if the down mail could call here weekly;
but I understand the the Company*s chief objection to
this is insufficiency of cargo for export, though
this argument is fallacious if we compare this port
with Lingah or Henjam, on the Persian side.
"Strick line steamers used formerly to land their
Bahrain cargo at Bunder Abbas; but since the Persian
Authorities have demanded full import duty on such
cargo::, the steamors have called here direot from
England, a procedure which greatly benefits local
merchants. It is noteworthy that both the Strick
and the Hansa Lines bring here more cargo from the
Continent of Europe than comes from England, and
the continental suppliers' invoices are in English,
and their quotations are c.i.f. Bahrain, One can-
not help thinking that English merchants are losing
a good market by not competing.
"Revenuc.
Comparative statement of revenue.
Year 1346 1347.
Vehicle Licenses !b 6,673/- 6,161/-
Pearling Licenses 68,350/- 67,025/-
Craft Licenses 3,630/- 3,850/-
Government Lands 5,724/- 625/-
Miscellaneous 6,211/- 10,913/-
90,538/- 88,574/-
"This shews a decrease of Rs 2,014/-
"Vehicle Licenses shew a decrease of Rs 512/-.
There are nearly two hundred motor cars in Bahrain,
and of these two lorries and one private car are of
British make. The most popular car is the new
Ford model.
"Pearling Licenses shew a decrease of Rs 1.325/-
In 1346-7 there were liconsod 531 pearling oraft.
This year there are 527 craft. Owing to a Govern
ment concession to Khammos divers no penalties have
been collected this year, which would account for this
decrease.
"Craft Licenses, show an inoroaso of Rs 220/-. Tho
boatbuilding industry is steadily progressing, and
the tendency during the past year has been towards
larger Bahrain-built Joliboats equipped with British
Kelvin engines varying from 25 to 60 horsepower.
Those oraft are engaged in cargo work with the main-