Page 699 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

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During the year two new police clerks were enlisted. Special police were
enlisted by the Bharain Government for the Defence and protection of the Bharain
Petroleum Company Area and wero placed under the command of the Defence
Officer, Persian Gulf.
This year batches of Naturs went through a course of training with the State
Police and have been taught a little drill and the use of rifles.
Ilavildar Abdulkarim bin Haji Sulman returned from the Police Training
School at Nasik and was appointed Sub-Inspector of Police.
The amount of crime was small, the most serious case being that of a relation
of the Ruling Family being convicted for treason and sentenced to 10 years* im­
prisonment.
Motor accidents showed a decrease and the state of public security was satis­
factory.
5. Local Affairs.—(i) The Agency flagstaff was dressed on New Year’s Day.
Calls were received from His Hignncss the Ruler of Bahrain, members of the Al
Khalifah family, and leading members of the Indian, Arab and Persian Com­
munities.
(«) The news of Italy’s entry into the war was greeted with expressions of
contempt and hatred for the Italians whose barbarities in Tripoli and Abyssinia
are remembered. Subsequent news of the virtual defeat of France confused the
people, though their main interest was to hear about the future of French possessions
in North Africa and Syria. News of the final surrender of France had a less dis­
turbing effect on the local population than might have been expected.
(Hi) It was generally known in Bahrain that an Italian submarine was sunk
somewhere near the entrance to the Persian Gulf in July, and that the prisoners
taken from the submarine were brought to Bahrain and later sent to India. Tho
secret was kept remarkably well while they were here.
(iv) The Oil Refinery of the Bharain Petroleum Company was bombed on tho
19th October 1940. At about 3-15 A.M. two, or possibly three, machines approach­
ed Bahrain from a westerly direction and after circling over the refinery at a height
between two and three thousand feet dropped salvos of bombs, a number of which
failed to explode. Some 84 bombs were dropped, all of them of small calibre.
They fell very wide of the target and there were no casualties and no damage was
done.
Bombs were dropped on the Oil Fields of the California Arabian Standard Oil i
Company at Dharan, Saudi Arabia, the same morning, probably by the same enemy
aircraft. There were no casualties, but slight damage was done to an oil and water
pipeline.
(v) The Rev. Fr. Irzio Luigi Magliacani, an Italian subject, was deported
from Bahrain and left for Bombay on the 13th November 1940. After the
raid, public feeling against him became intense and reached a pitch when it was
felt impossible to guarantee his safety.
6. Bahrain Petroleum Company. (i) Chief Ijocal Representative.—Lieutenant
Commander J. S. Black who was recalled for service in the Navy relinquished his
office as Chief Local Representative to the Bahrain Petroleum Company Limited
and left for India on the 7th July 1940. From then onwards, the position was
filled by Dr. R. A. Kennedy.
(ii) Resident Manager.—Mr. M. II. Lipp held charge throughout the year.
(Hi) Field Development—Whole.—Total production during 1940 was 7,073,919
barrels of oil, giving a daily average of 19,328 barrels. Throughout the year, oil
production was held close to 20,000 B/D, except for two weeks emergency period
ill October and November, during which the majority of wells were shut in. Tho
process of gas injection has helped to keep the pressure decline under satisfactory
control.