Page 638 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

56 ANNUAL RETORT OP TEE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL RESIDENCY
returned on Juno Hfh. Dr. and Mrs. P. W. Harrison loft for India on
June 20th and returned on October 1st. Rev. Mr. find Mrs. D. Dykstra.
H-ev. Mr. and Mrs. Birkctt left for Darin on August 2+th and returned on
September 14th. Dr. P. W. Harrison proceeded to Hasa and Riyadh on
December 18th at the request of Bin Saud in connection with influenza.
J. H. Bill, Esquire, visited in January. Commodore Captain Davis Norris,
R.N., visited in June, and E. Gunter
Visitor*.
Esquire, Director, Persian Gulf Tel©.'
graphs, in November.
A further sum of Rs. 65.000 was subscribed by British Indian, Persian and
Arabs for extension of and construction of
Custom*.
shade on the Customs pier. The total
length of the pier is now 825 feet. A sum of one lakh of rupees lias bten spent
up to date on the reconstruction and extension of the pier.
In July the merchants were warned that the export of foodstuffs from
India to Gulf ports was permitted only
Prices of foodstuff*.
for local consumption in each place,
and that if these goods are subsequently exported to other ports except
under special permit from the Political Agent, it would become necessary to
entirely stop imports and that goods exported without permit would be liable
to confiscation. This order had a slight set back, but the prices rose from day
to day owing to the difficult question of supply to the mainland which takes
about one-third of the imports.
The Agency is in a very bad sfcste—leaks badly and is generally In a -very
bad state—unless action is quickly taken
Agency Pofldinj;.
to have it put into good condition, it wiil
soon be unfit for habitation.
No landlord is willing to hire his house (however dilapidated it is) to the
_ , , Agency staff for less than Rs. 50 a month.
* q ”■ The owners, who are all pearl dealers,
prefer to keep their houses olosed than hire ihem to less amount than their own
quotation and even t hen as a favour to Agency staff only, as they are sure of
getting better offer of Rs. 600 to Bs. 1,000 per annum from Indian and Foreign
pearl dealers who gladly sign contracts for a year though they hardly stay here
six months a year.
In July, the Political .Agent invited all the leading merchants of the place
and explained to them the advantages and
General trade.
trade facilities which would be gained by
them and the pearling fraternity by establishing a Bank here and asked them
to sign on a list according to their wishes for or against the project. They all
gave their consent willingly and Shaikh Is3 was approached on the subject
He readily consented to establish a branch of the Eastern Bank in Bahrain.
Khan Sahib Yusuf bin Alimad Kanoo, local news informant, had been very
useful in making this project a success.
In October, the Political Agent proceeded to Calcutta to consult the
Director of Commeicial Intelligence relating to the introduction of Indian
manufactured goods suitable to Bahrain market.
The year's catch of pearls was, owing to continuous bad weather, less than
the two previous years of 1816 and 1917, and the prices have been about the
same as last season. The prohibition against the export of specie to. Bahrain
and pearls to Europe from India has had a marked effect on the local .situation
but the wealthy Arab merchants, who had large reserye funds in gold-and
who could easily afford to wait for their money, bought practically naif the
quantity of pearls. On the cessation of the hostilities there was a very heavy
demand for pearls aDd the prices rose over 50 per cent, more than the previous
year. In November and December all the Arab and Indian pearl merchants
left for Bombay with £+50/100 worth of pearls approximately which were
carried in person while £61,000 worth of pearls were shipped. Total amount
shipped was £165,000.
N. N. E. BRAY, OaptainrAt.C.,
Political Agent, Bahrain.