'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎61v] (127/180)

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Until 1897-98 it was one in which European and respectable native firms were
unwilling to engage, on account of fraudulent practices associated with it; but its
character has since improved, and a German firm in Bahrain now takes an
important share in the shell business.
The local price of Mahhar shells is Rs. 1 to 3 per 140 lbs., of Zanni shells
Rs. 4 to 8 per 60 lbs., and of Sadaifi shells Re. I to ^ per 1 lb. The annual quantities
exported since 1873 are given in Annexure No. 2 to this Appendix.
Sovereignty and dues in relation to the pearl fisheries.
Coast of On the Arabian side all the banks, whether near to or far from the coast, are
Arabia. f ree to the pearl fishers of Arabia and Persia without distinction of race or
nationality. The boats from particular ports generally frequent certain localities
more than others, but they do this of choice and not of necessity.
The chiefs of the Arab littoral derive revenue from the pearl fisheries, but
only by means of taxes imposed on their own subjects or on persons resident in
their respective jurisdictions: a table of these imposts will be found in Annexure 6
to this Appendix. It has been stated that the chiefs of Trucial 'Oman are entitled
to receive, besides the dues mentioned in the Annexure No. 6, a share in the sale
price of any pearl worth $200 or more which may have been found by a subject,
but no particular share is specified, and it does not appear that the claim is
universally, or even generally, admitted; on the other hand a decision in favour of
the Sultan of 'Oman, mentioned below, seems to raise a presumption that such a
right is, in some circumstances, allowed.
The first chief to levy dues is believed to have been the Shaikh of Bahrain,
who is said to have instituted about the beginning of the 19th century, under the
name of Nob, a tax which was devoted (at least in theory) to the maintenance of
4 armed vessels on the banks for the protection of the Bahrain pearl fleet. With
the growth of security under British surveillance of the Gulf these police vessels,
if they ever existed, disappeared; but the system of taxation was maintained both by
the Shaikh of Bahrain and by the other Arab chiefs, who had meanwhile followed
his example.* The amount of the Nob was originally one diver's share per boat,
but crews might compound for it at the rate, in early times of $3, and later of $4,
per operative.
A second tax, called Taraz, also came into general vogue many years ago; it
was originally assessed at the rate of one diver's share for each boat. The intention
was to provide the means of engaging hired watchmen in towns and villages during
the absence in summer of the able-bodied male population; and a part of the dues
now realised is even yet spent in this manner on summer watchmen called
Matraziyah.
Persia. It appears that Nob is properly a tax on boats and Taraz a poll tax on
operatives, also that Nob was originally collected only in autumn and Taraz only
in spring; but the terms are not now clearly understood even by the natives of the
Gulf themselves. Much confusion has been caused by irregularity in collection,
the people always endeavouring to pay as little as possible, and the Shaikhs to
take as much as they can, and that in advance.
All the banks on the Persian side, with the exception of the banks in the
Lingeh District which are public, are subject to territorial jurisdiction; this is partly
due, no doubt, to the fact that they are all near the coast and in few, if any, cases
more than 3 miles distant from land.
The subjects of the Shaikh in whose territory a bank is situated may work
on it without special permission, and so may the subjects of a neighbouring Shaikh
who is on terms of amity with the territorial Shaikh; but all foreigners—that is to
say all others, and among them Arab pearl fishers from the opposite side of the
Gulf,—must come to a special arrangement with the local authority before they
are allowed to dive on any Persian bank. The taxes ordinarily levied by the
Shaikhs from their own subjects and from those of friendly Shaikhs on the same
coast are given in Annexure No. 6; and here we may add that the sum realised
by the Shaikhs from outsiders who wish to work upon their banks generally varies
from $20 to $40 per boat for the season, and that the permission is given in writing.
The finder of a valuable pearl is expected to bring it secretly to the Shaikh, and,
if he does so, he is generally compelled to part with it on payment of a mere
fractions of its value; if, on the other hand, he fails to bring it, his life and property
will both be in danger.
* There is some doubt as to the correctness of these statements. There is not now any pearl
tax called Nob in Bahrain.