Page 88 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

78 ADMINISTRATION RETORT ON TIIE PKR8IAN GULF POLITICAL

Chapter IX.—ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE BAHRAIN
POLITICAL AGENCY POR THE YEAR 1805-00.
OonoroL The purview of this Agency includes (a) the Protected 8t»tc of Bahrain,
(6) the independent Peninsula of Katar, (c) the Turkish " Sanjak of Najd,”
ybich oompriscs the Oases of Hasa and Katif, the output of Ojnir and a few
islands, and (d) the tribal territories adjoining the Sanjak, the status of which
has not yet clearly been determined. These different districts will be treated
under three headings, the Sanjak and the tribal territories being coupled together
for the sake of convenience.
Speaking generally, tho year under renew has been a most prosperous one
for the whole Agency. The pearl-fisheries have proved more profitable than
for three years past, while the date-crop in Hasa and Katif has been a bumper
one permitting of an unprccodently large export to India and the Red Sea
Ports. The trado of Bahrain for the year 1905, which includes l oth the
pearling and date seasons alluded to, and which is intimately connected with
the trade of both Katar and the Turkish Sanjak, shows the astonishing increase
of 57£ per cent, in volume over the previous best year on record.
It seems certain that the commercial prosperity of Bahrain will advance
steadily. In view of this fact, it is to be hoped that the British India Steam
Navigation Company will improve their present arrangements for dealing with
the local tiade, as at present much discontent with their methods exists
amoDgst all commercial classes in the Agency. It is also probable that the
question of the extension of the telegraph cable to Bahrain will call for con­
sideration in the near future. Above all, the reformation of the Bahrain
Customs administration is a measure which shows itself constantly to be more
pressing, not only in the interests of the Chief of Bahrain but of all people
residing within tho Agency.
’ Rainfall and Harvest.— The rainy season in this Agency is considered to
commence immediately after the close of the main pearling season about the
middle of October, and to end at ihe commencement of the corresponding
following pearling season, about the 15tli May. The rainy days in Bahrain
are generally only three or four in number, but on the adjacent mainland the
fall is greater, permitting of the raiding of food-grains in the vicinity of Hasa
and affording fine crops of hay in Katar and the other parts. In Bahrain it is
only the Sheikhs who welcome a plentiful fall of rain, as no one else keeps
herd6 or flocks, and the poorer classes suffer considerably in their frailly-
constructed huts of date-fronds.
If rain falls late, it is also liable to do injury to the date-palms.
In the year under report, the rain commenced early on the mainland, and
a satisfactory supply has been received throughout the winter. In Bahrain the
fall has probably been rather less than the average. As mentioned elsewhere,
the date-harvest in Hasa and Katif was a magnifioent one ; that in Bahrain
was rather deficient.
A record of the rainfall in Bahrain baa been kept during the last four
years at the American Mission Hospital,
The figures are as follows
5 67 inches.
1902- 03
. 1*77 „
1903- 04
1904- 05 312 *
. t*46 „
1905- 06
Public Health.—'The health of all parts of the Agency, except Bahrain,
has been good throughout the year.
An epidemic of plague—the second in three years—unfortunately manifee -
ed itself in these islands early in May and lasted till about the end of June,
fined itself however to the two towns of Manama and Mubarrag, in eac Of
©on