Page 371 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (II)_Neat

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The Indian pearl merchant Mr. Gcndmal visited Bahrain early in the season and made big pur­
chases ; after lie left Shaikh Abdul Jalil, agent of Shaikh Mustafa bin Abdullatif of Bombay and Maji
Sulaiman bin Isa of Kuwait arrived and pearls were bought by them and by local merchants.
According to the usual method of calculation the value of the catch, as sold from the boats,
was Rs. 8,09,000, last year it was estimated at Rs. 5,15,000. The value of the pearls when exported
from Bahrain would be considerably higher.
The advances for 13G0 were as follows :—
Diver. Pullcr.
Tesqam .. .. Rs. 20/- Rs. 15/—
Sclaf . • .. 2C>/- 15/-
Kharjich .. .. .. 15/- 15/-
55 •15
These amounts were slightly lower than in the previous season. At the annual meeting which is held
by the government before the diving season to decide upon the advances many of the leading merchants
threatened to go out of business unless a reduction in advances was approved. This attitude shows
how much the whole pearling industry has altered, in the past it was the government which argued
against the high advances which used to be given by nakhudas to their divers in order to put them
and keep them in debt.
POLICE AND PUBLIC SECURITY.
Strength. The strength of the State Police at the end of the year was as follows: —
Superintendent i
Sub-Inspector 1
Head Havildars 2
Havildars .. 7
Naiks 10
Lance Naiks 33
Men 282
336
During the year 9 men were discharged and four were dismissed. Followers, including cooks,
launch crew, syces, tailors, etc., amounted to 37.
The strength of the Special Police at the end of the year was 146 and the natur strength was
165. The total number of armed trained men paid by the government (police and naturs) was 645.
There was no recruiting for the State Police but 9 men were enlisted to replace members of the Special
Police who were discharged.
Routine. The usual guards and posts were maintained, no N.C.O.s and men of the State
Police and 52 naturs were employed on these duties which included Manamah and Muharraq town
police, Agency and Palace guards, traffic and night patrols and posts at Hawar and elsewhere.
All men who were due leave were given leave during the year. The leave position, which
had become complicated owing to cancellation of all leave last year, was adjusted. The average
number of men on leave during the year was 56. Almost all of them remained in Bahrain and were
available for an emergency at a few hours' notice.
The annual musketry course was carried out during the year and every section of the State
Police took part in it. The section which won the musketry shield, which is competed for annually,
made an average score of 76.4%. Five men obtained scores of over 93% and eight men scored over
88%. The shooting, on the whole, was better than last year though some men who were previously
good shots obtained poor scores. Musketry and machine gun courses were fired at the Safra range
where a new building was constructed, mostly by prison labour, consisting of a long barrack room
and verandah and a smaller room which accommodated the firing parties.
Mounted patrols, horses and camels, were maintained throughout the year, half of the horse
section was stationed at Budeya and half of the camel section at Jaw. from these centres and also
from Manamah patrols were carried out by day and by night. The camel section at Jaw occupied
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