Page 335 - Records of Bahrain (7) (ii)_Neat

Matiamah causeway project, 1951 725

BRITISH RESIDENCY,
D w to ly Ho/37 BAHRAIN.
(1102k6)
26tli March, 1951*

Sir,
I have the honour to addrcoa you on the subjoct of the
ouuooway which, as you will have aeon from my monthly lottora
and other roporto, the Ruler of Bahrain propooeo to construct
at Manamah to onablo ocean going ateamere to berth, thereby
eliminating the preoont anchorage oyatoin which involveo long
delays in the unloading of cargo, especially in bad v/oather,
and substantial losseo on account of breakages and pilferage.
The project was first broached years ago when a local represen­
tation of Messrs John Howard and Company who were at tliat time
engaged on tho construction of the Dammam causeway suggested
the building of a similar causeway from Hadd at the southern*'
extremity of Muhurraq Island southwards to the doop water in
the vicinity of tho Bahrain Petroleum Company's wharf at
Si trail. Cons idci*at ion of any ouch project had however to be
poatponed until the recent increase made in the rate of royalty

l^nyablc by tho BalU'ain Potrolcum Company made it jiossible for
tho Bahrain Govornmont to launch out into expensive development

schemoo. Messrs. Cooke, Vnughan-Leo, Prank and Gwyther wore
then called in as consultants and partly on their advice all
idea of building a causeway at Hadd wua dropped because of the
long carry from there to Manamah and tho fact that the two-mile
causeway between Muharraq and the main island would have to be
widened to take the additional traffic. The firm prepared instead
a rough plan and estimate for a causeway four miles long running
from the vicinity of tho existing customs jetty at Manamah
northwards across coral reefs and ending in deep water at the
eastern edge of the outer Manamah anchorage, There is to be a
railway along tho causeway and the project is estimated to coot
about one million pounds.
2. This project has boon criticised, chiefly by representatives
His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State /of
for Poreign Affairs,
Foreign Offioe,
London, S. IV. 1.