Page 391 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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(4) Construction of 10,000 gallon surface pond to conserve circulating cooling water for
secondary use as boiler feed water for the distillation plant.
(5) M.T. vehicle servicing yard with ramps for heavy and light vehicles.
(6) Alteration of old flour Mills building to accommodate wood working machinery on
order in the U.K.
(7) Construction of four masonry buildings to accommodate step down transformers for
electricity distribution. These will replace 4 steel kiosks which are of insufficient
size for the installation of increased capacity transformers. They are urgently
required for extensions to the electricity distribution scheme.

(d) Additional Oil Filtration Plant.—In view of the increased capacity of the electricity
generating plant, it has been decided to order an additional Stream-Line oil filter to deal with the
larger volume of lubricating oil in use. The Provision of this plant will reduce oil consumption costs
considerably, and the initial outlay will be quickly off-set by the value of the reclaimed oil.
(e) Portable Air Compressor.—Compressed air for starting and fuel injection for engines
1, 2, & 3, and for starting only in the case of Engine No. 4, has to date been supplied by the com­
pressors which are fitted on the first 3 engines. Nos. 4, 5 & 6 engines are not fitted with compressors
and therefore must rely on engines 1, 2 & 3 for their air supply.

As Nos. 1 & 2 will shortly be taken out of service, there will only remain one available com­
pressor on No. 3 set. This is inadequate to meet requirements, and in the event of a breakdown
on No. 3 set, there would be no provision for the supply of compressed air for the remaining engines.
A mobile air compressor set has been ordered to cover this contingency and provide future
requirements.
(f) Electric Meter Testing.—In view of the large number of meters in use and the necessity
for accurate electricity consumption readings, a reliable meter testing set is an essential requirements.
Slow reading meters are responsible for loss of revenue to the Government and quick reading meters
result in overcharges to the consumer. For this reason, all meters require to be regularly tested, and
if necessary, re-calibrated. A suitable Ferranti testing set has been ordered for this purpose.

Telephone Department.—The total number of subscribers connected at the end of 1365
was 121 and many additional applications for telephones were refused because instruments were not
available. In view of the projected automatic telephone system, only a few new instruments were
ordered during the year as they will become redundant to future requirements. To date no work
has commenced in connection with the installation of an automatic telephone system planned by
Messrs. Cable and Wireless Ltd. The present system is unsuitable and inadequate for the needs of
Manamah and Muharraq. Most of the equipment is obsolete, and efficient line maintenance is vir­
tually impossible owing to climatic conditions and interference set up by the high and low tension
electricity distribution lines which are super-imposed on the same pole lines.
Shaikh Hamad Bridge.—The Bridge continued to operate efficiently during 1946, and
i
with the exception of repairs to the actuating mechanism for the slewing gear, no other repairs to the
main structure were required. The Bridge was non-operative for a period of 24 hours while repairs
to the actuating mechanism, were carried out. The Maintenance of the bridge from the view point
of anti-corrosion measures, was not satisfactorily carried out. The cause of this was the delay in
obtaining special paint from England which had been on order for no less than 15 months. Action l
has been repeatedly taken to accelerate delivery of this urgent requirement.

Transport Department.—During April the transportation of 99 M.T. vehicles and 18 motor
cycles was made from the Army Base at Awali by the department. These vehicles were purchased
from the Array disposals Board at a time when there was an acute shortage in all Government Depart­
ments. Only a few were retained by the Government, the remainder being taken by His Highness,