Page 302 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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Approximately Rs. 16,500 was spent on the Manamah Fort. All the outer walls and the
four corner towers have now been rebuilt. The north cast tower contains a large office on the
first floor and a store on the ground lloor: this and the eastern wall and the north-eastern tower
were built during the year. Additional latrines were made and the inside garden was fenced. •
Work was commenced, but not completed, on the new Technical School workshop. 1 he
building, which is 120'x 40', is adjacent to the existing Technical School and its dimensions
arc according to the recommendations of Mr. G. E. Hutchings, Principal of the Baghdad
Technical School, who visited Bahrain in order to advise the Government on technical education.
The roof is carried on reinforced concrete beams supported by reinforced concrete pillars. Owing
to the price of steel beams and the difficulty of obtaining them this method of construction was
adopted for the first time in Bahrain. The old building, together with the new workshop, will
provide accommodation for about 100 boys. The amount spent on this building was Rs. 13,000.
Some improvements were made to the customs premises during the year, including an
olficc at the entrance to the pier and trolley lines and fighting on the pier extension. The cost
of this was approximately Rs. 10,000.
Other work included additional Government garages, additional class rooms in the Manamah
school, an extension to the Naim dispensary, enlarging the jail at Jitla, building stables for the
Government cattle, building a coffee-shop and a bathing shelter at Adari, and the upkeep and
repairs of Government buildings, roads, and bridges.

THE PEARL INDUSTRY.
The report of the diving results for the year 1359 is a depressing record. The year 1358 was
a bad one but the 1359 season was even worse. There appears no prospect of any improvement
while the war lasts; the European markets are closed, and there is no activity in America in
spite of the fact that it was announced from Germany on the radio that there was a boom in
diamonds and pearls. There was some activity in the Indian market but the demand there is
usually for second-grade pearls.
Only 191 boats went to sea, which is a decrease of 28 when compared to the number of
boats licensed in the previous season. This is the lowest number of boats diving since proper records
have been kept by the Government, and it is probable that not all of them will be used in the
1360 season.
Prices were lower than last year though the catch appears to have been larger. The best
pearl which was found during the season was sold for Rs. 15,000. At the end of the season
there was some improvement in prices but they never reached last year’s level. No important
buyers visited Bahrain except Shaikh Mohomed Ali Zainal who bought practically nothing. The
biggest local buyers were Haj Khalil Moayad and Haj Sulman bin Isa Kuwaiti.
Pearl prices during the season were as follows: —
Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs.
Sheri n ... 25 to 30 per chow. Na'am 11 to 12 per chow.
Golwa 8 to 10 per chow. Badla 3 to 4 per chow.
The total catch, according to calculations based partly on actuals and partly on averages,
was worth Rs. 5,19,000, which is approximately one lakh less than last year’s value. This figure
represents the amount received by divers and nakhudas from the sale of pears which is loss than
the value of the pearls when they are exported from Bahrain.
Merchants, nakhudas, and divers had a poor year. Merchants and nakhudas in some ways
fared relatively worse than the divers, because the divers at least received their official advances.
Out of the 60 boats diving on the sclafich system only seven boats covered the expenses. In the
53 boats the shares of divers and pullers were less than the total of their annual advances which
were as follows:—
Diver. Puller
Rs. Rs.
Tesqam 25 20
Sclaf 35 20
Kharjich 20 20
Total ... 70 60