Page 313 - 2 Persian Trade rep Bahrain 2_Neat

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financial.—The present prosperity which is re­ Communications and Tranxptrt.—Motor roads
flected in the greatly increased trade of Bahrain suitable for c-ara and lorries exist over most of the
b due almost solely to the operations of the Bahrain two main islands. There arc 31*5 motor care, 80
Petroleum Company’, Limited, which employs (in busts, 71 lorries of various tjjes and 18 motor
round numbers) 300 Europeans and Americans, cycles, which arc almost exclarively of American
820 Asiatic foreigners and 2,030 Bahrainis. A very manufacture. Motor boats pljr regularly between
considerable proportion of the total wages corned Bahrain, Qataf and 'Oqair and occasionally to other
is of course spent in Bahrain. port3 on the mainland. The fares arc cheap. There
is a regular weekly steamer service (British India
There is a branch of the Eastern Bonk Limited Steam Navigation Company) fnm and to India
in Bahrain which transacts all types of business. and Iraq. This Company’s fn.*t mail also calls at
The hundi system is used by the Hindu merchants. Bahrain fortnightly, in addition the Strick, Hansa,
Stiver Java Pacific and Mitsui lines maintain regular
Taxation.—Private property is free from taxation services from British, Continental, American and
but there oro municipal taxes in the towns of Manama Japanese ports. The Imperial Airways halt at
and Muharraq. A considerable proportion of the Bahrain five times weekly on tleir ea*t and west
total State income is derived from Oil Royalties, bound flights-
and most of the balance comes from Customs duties.
The Customs tariff is fixed at 5 per cent, ad valorem General.—Manamab, the c&pnal town contains
on general merchandise and 10 per cent, on certain two hospitals (shortly to be irereased to three),
luxury articles such as carpets, gillims, cycles, clocks three schools and a technical school, a Post Office
and watches, electrical goods, furniture, gramo­ maintained by the Indian Posul Department, a
phones, gold and artificial gold thread, hosiery, wireless and cable station, and a branch of Messrs.
henna, motor cars, perfumery, toilet soaps, silken Gray, Mackenzie and Company, Limited, who act
goods, sewing machines, rubber tyre* and tubes, as agents for the British India Steam Navigation
typewriters, boots and shoes, playing cards, etc. Company, Limited.
Alcohol, tobacco and cigarettes pay 15 per cent. duty.
There are municipal councils in Mnharraq and
Transit dues on goods landed at Bahrain for the Manama. There in an electric power station at
mainland are charged at 1J per cent, and export
duty of Bs. 10 per bundle is paid on hides and two Man a ra ah and power is carried along tie causeway
said by submarine cable to Mahorraq.
annas per basket of dates.
The Political Agent, Bahratix, who is in close
The Customs Department is undeT the direction
of an European Director of Customs, who is an tocch with Bocal and mainland affairs, will be glad
official of the Bahrain Government. to answer any enquiries regarding trade from mer-
chants in the United Kingdom through the Depart­
Agricullure.—The area of Bahrain is roughly ment of Overseas Trade.
1,38,000 acres, of which roughly l/12th is cultivable Enquiries from India should bt made through the
a°d is at present under cultivation. The Director General of Commercial Ixtelligence, Calcutta.
principal crops grown are dates and lucerne. As a Tine probably would be saved by addressing the
result of greatly increased demand, more attention latter official direct, as informatim on most ordinary
is now being paid to the cultivation of vegetables.
matters is available in his records.
Industry.—Bahrain is famous throughout the
world for its pearl industry, on which great numbers
of people still depend for their livelihood. During
the diving season, which is from June to September,
Bahrain is visited by numerous Indian and Arab Sd/- H. VEIGHTMAN.
pearl merchants and also by one or two European Politics! Agent, Bahrain.
pearl merchant*.
The possibilities of the mother-of-pearl industry
deserves attention.

Mina.—The Bahrain Petroleum Company.
°Via ft my developed oil field, Attested.
winch m 1938 produced over a million tons of crude
oil. A very modern refinery, capable of dealing with B. 8. HAYIN8.
over 25,000 barrels of oil daily, is in full operation.
Amtart Political Agent, Bahrmin.