Page 17 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

11
DIVING INDUSTRY

There is little to be said—and what can be said makes depressing reading—about the 1367
diving season. Only 69 boats with about 1,400 divers went to the banks and the value of the catch
was estimated at Rs. 5,67,000, which is half the estimated value of the 1366 catch. The price of
pearls however was higher than in the previous year and divers and nakhudas had a more successful
season. All the boats except three made a profit.
A number of causes have contributed to the decline in the diving industry which in some other
parts of the Gulf has fared even worse than in Bahrain. Diving is no longer a popular occupation.
In the old days men were willing to dive for four months in the year and to do nothing for the remain­
ing eight months. Under present conditions they have to earn money all through the year in order
to keep themselves and their families. Today few young men are willing to start working as divers
because they can earn more money by working less strenuously and under better conditions on shore.
The cost of food and ships stores is very high and the amount of capital which is now required to equip
and provision a diving boat for the season is considerably more than it was a few years ago. Most
of the big men of the diving industry have gone and the wealthy merchants who could put up
the money for diving invest their funds in other forms of business which during recent years have
given them large and certain profits. Another matter which had a deterrent effect on the diving at
the time when preparations for the season were being made was the ban by the Government of India
on the import of pearls.
The ban on pearls came into force in the. previous year. During the spring of 1367 there were
meetings and discussions between the Government and the pearl merchants. His Highness after
consulting the merchants, communicated with His Majesty King Ibn Saud and the other Gulf Rulers
regarding steps to be taken to persuade the Government of India to withdraw the ban. In India
representatives of the Arab merchants in Bombay petitioned the Government. The ban was event­
ually withdrawn but the affair had a disturbing effect on the pearl trade. Another matter which
engaged the attention of the Government at the beginning of the year was the arrival of parcels of
undrilled South American pearls in Bahrain. This was a serious danger to the reputation of the
Bahrain pearl. After discussion with the leading pearl merchants His Highness issued a proclama­
tion forbidding the import of undrilled pearls, other than those from the Gulf, into Bahrain. On
this matter too he communicated with King Ibn Saud and the Gulf Rulers who took the same action
in their states. In Bahrain a committee was appointed to examine, at the Customs, all parcels of
undrilled pearls imported into Bahrain.

A further measure was taken to encourage the flourishing trade in necklaces and pearl ornaments
which has developed in Bahrain. All necklaces, drilled pearls and pearl ornaments imported into
Bahrain were previously liable for import duty. A new Customs order was issued allowing drilled or
made up pearls to be imported free of duty provided that the pearls were Bahrain pearls and had been
sent to India for drilling, etc., and provided that the owner when sending his pearls from Bahrain to
India declared to the Customs his intention of re-importing them for sale in Bahrain. In such cases
the pearls were subject to examination by the pearls committee at the Customs.
One case occurred during the year in which a jeweller from Mecca was convicted of having sold
a cultured pearl in Bahrain. He claimed 1 hat he bought the pearl from a dealer in the Hejaz.