Page 303 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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Of the total number of boats diving 60 were on the sclafich system and 94 were Khamamis.
It is probable that the latter did somewhat better than the sclafich divers because the expenses
of the khamas system are usually lower than those of the sclafich boats and the divers arc content
to work for lower advances than the maximum which is laid down by the Government.
These recent years of continued depression in the pearl industry have affected the attitude
of the public towards the industry as a whole, 'flic few remaining big nakhudas would gladly
jet out of the industry if they could do so but in most cases all that they have is invested in
their boats and their only assets are the divers who are indebted to them. Diving is no longer
regarded by young men as a profitable occupation with the possibility of making big money
but as a temporary employment when all else fails. The old race of divers is dying out, and
nakhudas complain that the new tyc of men who enlist as divers arc very inferior to the men
of the past.
POLICE AND PUBLIC SECURITY.
Strength.—
The strength of the Police Force on 29th Dulhaj 1359, (27th January, 1941) was as follows: —
Police.— Special Police.—
Superintendent Officer
Sub-Inspector Iraqi Instructors 4
Havildars 5 Local Police ... 150
Naiks 10
Lance Naiks 28 Total ... 155
Policemen • • •. 286
Hand 18
Camel Section *9
Horse Section 22
Indian Instructors 5

Total ... 39s
1—State Police.
(a) Recruitment.—No men were recruited for the State Police during the year, but 150 men
enlisted as Special Police employed on defence measures at the refinery and in the Oil Fields.
A proportion of these men were given some months training at the Fort; some of them were
retired policemen and many of them had served as naturs. There was no difficulty in obtaining
recruits, partly because the minimum height, s'-6" was not insisted upon, and the standard of
eyesight was made slightly lower than in the case of the State Police.
(b) Routine.—All leave was cancelled when the war began and all men on leave were recalled.
The State Police undertook guard and patrol duties at Awali, the Refinery, and the Oil Fields
until some of them were relieved by naturs who were enlisted for defence work. During 1359 all
State Police were withdrawn and replaced by the new force of Special Police under the command
of the Defence Officer. It then became possible to relieve the congestion of accumulated leave
by allowing men to take their leave. During the last quarter of 1359 about one-fifth of the force
was on leave.
In spite of abnormal conditions due to the war, the usual routine work, parades and
duties were carried out, and every men in the State Police fired the annual musketry course.
The section which won the annual inter-section shooting competition obtained an average score
of 76 per cent. The machine-gun section completed a course of firing on the range at Safra with
satisfactory results.
During the year a beginning was made in dividing the force into civil and military police.
A permanent body of N.C.O.s and men were appointed as Manama!) town police in charge of
Sub-Inspector Abdul Karim who returned from India after completing a course of training at the
Police Training School at Nasik. Various changes were made in the clerical and administrative
staff of the police. Several guards of honour were provided during the year and the usual
ceremonial parade was held on His Highness the Ruler's accession day. The camel section was
on duty during most of the year at Jaw, on the south-east coast. A small tower was built close
to the shore between Jaw and Door, on the site of the ruined town which was occupied by the
Khalifah when they first came from Zubara to Bahrain, as a permanent post for the camel
section. From this centre the coast was patrolled as far as the refinery on the north and Ras-Al-