Page 192 - 1 Persian Trade rep Bahrain 1_Neat

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Persia is also a large Importer from Bahrain of present incumbent is a Hindu, a member of <
goods of foreign origin. She look in 1011-12 the principal Sind firms represented in li.i
general merchandise valued at over 11 11,00,000. The working of (ho Customs has un. v'm •
Prin _ij<il items were p iecc-goods, tea, rice and arrangement Icon quite satisfactory.
sugar. There is no doubt that the chief induce­ The Arabic, English, Persian, Hindu.,t.lnj an,
ment to Persian merchants to import t>«<f Bahrain, Uujcrali languages are all in use in the Cmp ^
is the facility for smuggling the goods by native
boat and evading the Persian Customs. The Import duly is 5 per cent, ad valor**, t
Taking the above figures into account, wo may
be safe in assuming that not less than one-third Sj/ <r& rsj & isj
of the imports into Bahrain, are not consumed accepted in this form when there is a questiw **
locally hut are re-forwardcd to adjacent countries. to the value of goods. 18
The figures, it is true, vary from year to year, but The importation of arms and ammunition vxeem
the same general proportion has been remarked in with the consent of the British Government i,
the post and may be taken as being normal and forbidden by the treaty engagements of the
as giving an indication of the extent of the Principality. That of intoxicating liquors and
Bahrain market which lies outside Bahrain. •Hugs is prohibited by local regulation, p;nn|s.
7. The re-export business cannot be regarded as sioa being granted only to Europeans to iap,rt
entirely secure. The creation of new ports of call for their personal use. 1
for the Steamer lines on the south side of the The charge on goods imported for re-export
Gulf, and the more efficient organisation of the without opening up is in general 2$ per cent r
Persian Customs Administration would hit it All goods landed from steamers are brought
severely. direct to the Chief Customs House at Maxaoa.
These are perhaps remote contingencies; what They cannot be landed elsewhere.
tend to affect it at the moment are the insecurity 10. There is no general erport duty levied in
of the Hasa trade routes giving access to the Bahrain. On articles obtained or product in
Nejd Market, and the inefficiency of the arrange­ Bahrain or in the neighbouring mainhni of
ments for the expeditions handling of cargo at Arabia, an export duty is levied. The folloring
Bahrain. is a list of articles on which export duty is charged,
8. Returning to the Home market^ a few together with the rate of the duty :—
further remarks may be S a. p.
AnalyrU of the
Population. made regarding the nature Cuttle fiat 5 0 O per cent of tie n!u.
of the population. Datet—
Almost the entire population is Muhammadan. Dry (Pahrrin Produce) 0 4 O per bag.
Non-Muhammadans, all residing in Manama, may n (Katif Produce) 0 2 0 jer bag.
perhaps amount to 200 or 300. Of the whole FitK—
Fishi aad Sharif
population of 100,000, some 60,000 are of the (kinds of fish) . 0 4 0 per mat-bag.
Sunni and some 40,000 of the Shia persuasion. Shellt—
The Sunnis among whom are included the Ruling Mother-of-P (Aril . 2 0 0 per case.
0 8 O per case or b*5-
Family are chiefly resident in the towns, while the Mussel . . 0 4 0 „ „
Oyster .
Shias are for the most part villagers, though their Shark Fins . • 12 0 O per case.
community is numerically superior in Manama. Skint—
Mere distinction of Sect i6 however probably of Cattle skins . . 3 3 0 per (kin.
16 0 per skin.
small trade significance. Difference of nationality Goat and sleep skins
would be a matter of more importance, but as it 11. These cannot be described as satisfactory
The natural difficulties arc
happens the immense majority of the people are
steamers can-
STTt; ^ neirer thin -
In Manama however, there is a strong contingent 6 not approach nearer
of Foreign non-Arabs. These consist of 2 or 3 or 3 miles from the shore, and those of ora -
Europeans and a few American Missionaries, a feet draught have to lie 4 or 5 miles out. .
few score Hindus chiefly from Sind, a large body Cargo is landed entirely by sailing boat*,
of Persians and a few Jews. in Bahrain it is usually either blowing half a
8 These communities exercise little influence or is dead calm. # . *
on the substance of the trade The arrangements are in the hands or an -
Position of the of the place bat the Hindus or more often a contractor, appointed *>/
the Persians include a This man is responsible for providing \igu***
number of prosperous mer­ boats (6 or 6 are owned by the Bahrain ^
chants who undoubtedly control the bulk of the ment), landing the cargo at the Custom* ^
general Import Trade. The Hindus, moreover, sorting it, and delivering it at the
represent a considerable amount of capital in India, the consignees. Fixed fees are charged ,
to which they add their Bahrain gains. to a tariff on various goods, for boat-hire,
These foreign communities therefore do undoubt­ and donkey-hire. ’< dnne
edly exercise an influence on the manner and During the year under review a l^o® rj&c-
practice of Commerce in Bahrain. iron shed was erected by the Baler for
In the shipping business (exclusive of course of tion of goods landed in bad weather,■
the native coasting trade) European influence is immediately delivered. This „nrnethisiZtJ
of course absolate. necessary, and will, it ^ i« hoped, do ^ by
Some reference to the character and occupations reduce Iho amount of claims for goods jsifiJaM **
of the various sections of the population will be weather for which it has always been i*
found in last year's report. obtain any satisfaction. A farther dcs.ue
a pier, as the seagoing lighters can on 7 jre fj
CuUoau. the wharf at high tide, and other wi fovUf1
9. The Customs Department is managed for the discharged by small boats and those «
Ruler by a Director appointed by him. The and ooolies at some distance from cry