Page 264 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

44

Simla. ' He was accompanied by soveral of liis sons. A Regenoy Counoil, consisting
of Shaikh Abdulla, Shaikh Salman and the Adviser, acted during his Highness’s
absence.
Press and Broadcast propaganda. Since the death of II.M. King Ghazi of
Iraq the broadcast propaganda from Baghdad about Bahrain has ceased. German
wireless stations, however, continue to publish entirely untrue reports about the
Porsian Gulf, with occasional references to Bahrain. The Bahrain Government
issued an order forbidding the broadcasting of news from Germany in coffee shops
and public places but there have been no restrictions on private wireless set9.

Considerable publicity was given to Bahrain by the B.B C. and in the British
press during the year especially in connection with H.H.’s gift to the British
Government and his public statements about the war.
Catholic Church. His Highness Shaikh Hamad gifted a plot of ground on the
southern edge of Manama to the Catholio community, numbering about 400 persons,
on which a church was built The building was completed at the end of the year.
The majority of the Catholics are Goanese, many of them being long resident in
Bahrain.

Government Rest House. Owing to the war the number of visitors to Bahrain
decreased during the latter part of the year. The Rest House was used however
by 68 visitors in 1358.
Appointment of a Government Representative with the Oil Company. At the
beginning of the year the Government appointed Shaikh Ali bin Ahmed al-Khalifah
as Government representative with the Bahrain Petroleum Company to act as
mediator in case of discussions between the Company and the Arab employees on
matters of general interest. Shaikh Ali has been Amir of Raff a for 10 years and is
a magistrate of Bahrain Court.
Shaikh Mohomed bin Iaa’s visit to New York. At the end of July, 1939,
(Jamad-Althany 1358) Shaikh Mohomed bin Isa visited New York as the guest of
the Standard Oil Company of California. He travelled from Egypt, where he was
staying, by s.6. “Conte de Savoia” and landed in New York on 28th July. He
sailed for Europe in the “Queen Mary” on August 9th. During his visit a
reception was given in his honour at Peryton Hall at the New York Fair, where he
reviewed the United States troops at the World’s Fair Court of Peace. Shaikh
Mohomed was the guest at a dinner given for him by the Bahrain Petroleum Com­
pany and at luncheons given by the Pearl Associates and the Texas Oil Company.
He visited his Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General and attended a reception given
by the British Chamber of Commerce in New York. He also received a visit from
the representative of the Persian Government. During his stay in New York
Shaikh Mohomed went several times to the World Fair and made tours of museums
and other places of interest in the city and in the neighbourhood.
On August 8th Shaikh Mohomed, with Mr. Moffett and Mr. Thornburg, was
received at Hyde Park by President Roosevelt.
The visit was given much publicity in the American press and was made
the occasion for further publicity about Bahrain pearls.
Shaikh Mohomed was accompanied by Mr. Hussein Yatim, who acted as
interpreter.
Electric Department.

1. Electricity Department:—
Units generated for the year 1358 showed an increase of 134,748 over 1357..
Unite gold and used on works for the year 1358 showed an increase of 96,299 over