Page 199 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (I)_Neat

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three of the leading pecrl merchants are in possession of
any funds. They all hold large stocks of pearls which they
cannot sell at present even at a great loss. Debts and ins­

talments are not being paid and merchants who two or tiiree
years ago could easily command several lacs of rupees are now
hardly pressed to find a few thousands. If one of the big
men failed he v/oula pull down with him in his fall numbers of

others.
THE TESQJJi!.! ADVANCE. At the end of the diving season the

usual trouble ocurrea over the Tesquam advance. As stated in
the previous report at the beginning of the season the divers
went on strike and refused to go out unless the amounts were
raised. The government increased them in order to pacify the

divers.
At the time of the Tesquam, some months after the clca&se of
the diving, the merchants v/ho finance the industry were un­

doubtedly suffering from the effects of two bad years. H. E.
Shaikh Hamad ordered Shaikh Sulman and the Adviser to hold a
meeting of the leading men in the trade, suggesting himself

that as usual a definite sum should be fixed for the advance
and those who were unable to pay it should release their
divers for the next season.

It was decided at the meeting that the edvences should be
Es £5/- and b 45/- for diver/ and puller respectively but the
suggestion that those who could not pay should release their

divers to dive with any Ilakhuda who would pay them^rai sea most
violent oppositionf so it was settled that if the Ilakhuda could

not give his diver the authorised advance he should give him a
M3arua* allowing him to dive with any one else but paying l/4th
of his earnings to the original Nakhuda to whom he was in debt.
This was a slight variation of the usual custom by which a

diver is released on a "Bcrua tilth", paying l/3rd instead of

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