Page 280 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

9Q ADMINISTRATION RETORT OF TIIE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY,
An estimate given to the Political Agent by a knowledgeable Bahraini of
the total outturn of dates in the three districts is as follows :—
Hasa 2,000,000 tons, Itntif 033,000 tons and Bahrain 234,000. Bahrain
ns the Trade Returns show, is never able to produce tho quantity of dotes
required for its own consumption.
Public Health.
The islands of Bahrain were very healthy except for tho period, 19th April
to 4th July, when a severe outbreak of plague raged visiting almost every town,
village and hamlet.
It is estimated that 3,121 seizures occurred from this disease with 1,889
deaths. Tho latter included 16 Hindus, 2 Bobras 2 Jews and about 200
Persians; 2 Muhammadan sepoys of tho Agency Infantry Guard succumbed as
well as 1 refugee slave who was sheltering in tho Agency.
Several of the Political Agent’s servants recovered from slight attacks*
Casualties also occurred amongst the servants of all other Europeans in the
place (Messrs. Gray Paul & Co., Messrs. R. TVonckliaus & Co. and the
American Mission).
When the disease first appeared the Mission Hospital bad a few doses of
anti-plaguo sorum, with which the Europeans and a few domestics were
promptly inoculated ; and after an unfortunato and rather unaccountable delay
an additional stock was received in the Agency dispensary from the Parel
Laboratory. Altogether, 137 persons were inoculated by Dr. '1 horns of the
Mission, and 155 by Assistant Surgeon Monnni of the Victoria Memorial
Hospital, attached to the Agency. A fair number of tho more intelligent and
educated mom hers of the commercial community, who wero personally known
to the Political Agent, allowed themselves to be thus protected without any
untoward results, as did also two sons of the Chief, and if a bigger stock of
serum had been available when the epidemic was at its height, with seventy
deaths a day, no doubt a much larger number of people would have submitted
to the operation. Tho poorer classes resorted generally to flight, there being
scarcely a Persian cooly left in the town of Manama during the hot weather
and autumn of 1907, while the Shia Baharanis went over to Katif in consider­
able numbers at the same time. The cause of the outbreak has unfortunately
remained in obscurity, as no steamer can be charged with having imported tho
infection from India. There is some reason for suspecting that tho germs may
have now incradicably lodged in the islands themselves, and that tho alternate
years during which we are free from outbreaks may be duo to the small
number of rats which survive each epidemic.
As the years 1904,1906 and 1908 have boon healthy yoars, the advent of
the spring of 1909 is being awaited with considerable anxiety, and it is prob­
able that many Hindus will absent themselves from the islands during the
period of danger.
The health of the mainland districts seems to have been good throughout
the year.
Bahrain.
Political.—The relations of the Political Agent with the Chief and his
family have been cordial throughout the year, though the magisterial and judicial
officials of Manama and Muharraq (Bazar Masters and Kazis) who come in eon-
tact with foreigners enjoying British protection, continue to require constant ana
strict supervision to restrain them from indulging in petty acts of tyranny and
undue interference. It is satisfactory to report that in all cases of this nature
brought to the notice of Sheikh Esa the promptest satisfaction, as demanded,
has been accorded.
A typical example of tho lax method of governing the local tribes in yoguo
with the Sheikh occurred in Juno 1907, when the crews of two pearling boats,
one manned by A1 bu Palasa tribesmen, resident in Hadd, and the other y
Dowasir of Uudaiya’, came into conflict over the question of priority in the
matter of watering from the fresh-water spring on the Klior Easht reef, nortu-
west of Manama Harbour, with the result that one man on oaoh side was Bliot