Page 441 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (I)_Neat

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The Catch.

3. The total weight of pearls during 135?.

appears to have been about the same as during
1351, though in 1352 there was a marked decrease
in the number of high grade pearls but an increase
in the number of medium and low grade pearls.

Very few important pearls were found, Two were
sold for about Rs 20,000/- each, but only one of
them belonged to a Bahrain boat, The divers in
this boat received about hi 600/- each, Another
peerl was sold for Rs 10,000/- of which the divers

received h$ 230/- each. Both were small boats.
In past times the price of Rs 20,000/- for one
pearl was so frequently paid that it would not

have been mentioned in a report as an exceptional
price.
4. The price of pearls in Bahrain during
the first half of the season was 10$ higher than
the corresponding period the year before, but

after the middle of the season the price fell
somewhat.
5. All the Bahrain merchants have sold

their new pearls, at a small profit, but many of
them are still encumbered by large stocks from
previous years and the value of undrilled pearls
decreases every year, A few merchants have
been able to dispose of some old pearls when

selling the new ones, but they sold them for
about a quarter the price which they originally
paid for them. Some of the biggest merchants
still hold old stock which they cannot afford to