Page 22 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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In the previous season a boat with double the number of men could have been financed for
about the same outlay.
It is difficult to estimate the quantity of pearls found during the season but it appears that
the catch was smaller than last year, in spite of more boats diving ; but it was more valuable owing
to higher prices being paid for pearls. The price of pearls in Bahrain unfortunately does not depend
upon the expenses of finding them but it depends entirely upon the demand for pearls in the Bombay
market.
POLICE AND PUBLIC SECURITY.
Strength. The strength of the State Police at the end of the year was 339 officers. N.C.Os.,
and other ranks. During the year five men died, six men obtained their discharge and six were dis­
missed. eighteen recruits were enlisted. Camp followers including gardeners and launch crew
amounted to 36.
The strength of the Special Police was 150. The Natur strength was 1S6. The total strength
of trained armed men in the service of the State was C75, an increase of thirty men over the previous
year.
Promotions. Head Havildar Ali Mirza was promoted to Sub-Inspector. Naik Pirran Ditta,
one of the Indian Instructors, was promoted to Havildar and nafar Zaid bin Juma was promoted to
L/Naik.
Routine. It was found necessary to increase the number of Police on duty in the town at
night as a deterrent against thieving. Owing to more men being on night patrols fewer men were
available for daily parades which averaged about 50 N.C.Os. and men on those days of the week when
the Police Station personnel were not on parade. The experiment of appointing a certain number
of N.C.Os.’ and men as permanent town Police, stationed in the two Police Stations, which was tried
during the previous year was not found to be a success. A permanent staff of town Police N.C.Os.
were appointed but the men on this duty were changed occasionally.
All sections took part in the annual musketry course. The section which won the shooting
shield obtained an average score of 75.3. The average score of the whole force was 65.5 and the highest
individual score was 97 out of 100. Ten men obtained between 88 and 92 out of 100.
About half of the total strength of the State Police were granted leave during the year but not
more than 29 were on leave at any one time. Leave outside Bahrain was discouraged except in the
case of Indian Instructors.
Several Guards of Honour were provided by the State Police during the year and usual cere­
monial Parade was held at the Palace in honour of the late Ruler a few days before he died. Daily
parades, route marches and exercises took place on the Fort parade ground and in the neighbourhood
of Manamah. The police were trained in A.R. P. exercises and took part in numerous air raid
practices, the members of the band attended first aid and stretcher work lectures and lessons during
the first half of the year.
Mounted sections, horsemen and camelmen, patrolled the coasts and the country from Manamah,
Budeya and Jaw and were successful in detecting parties of people making illegal landings in Bahrain.
The mounted section carried out night patrols on Moharraq island and on the coast near Manamah.
Members of the State Police contributed to the recruitment of the two companies of Levies by
bringing in likely recruits for enlistment.
Owing to the extreme difficulty in obtaining material for uniforms the sartorial appearance of
the Police deteriorated noticeably during the year. At the end of the year arrangements were made
by the Defence Officer in the Persian Gulf for the Bahrain Government to purchase uniforms, etc.,
from military sources and earlier in the year the Bahrain Government was allowed to buy dry rations,
rice flour, etc., from the military stores. This assistance was very greatly appreciated by the Bahrain
Government and the Police themselves.
The health of the Police was better than in the previous year there being fewer attendances at
sick parade. The five men who died all suffered from T.B.