'File 10/4 I Trade Reports' [‎424r] (862/1102)

report ou the Lrad© of the Bali rain Islands for the /ear ended
31st :larch 1931.
ike Independent Arab/ Frincipalitj of Bahrain consists of
a group of islands off the last coast of Arabia# She State is
under British protection but is not a protectorate*
A general description of the phjsiealppolitical end
coiamercial pecularities of the islands is given in the Beport
for the /ear 1911*12 (annual Serial Ho:&)52). fhe persianent
population is estimated at 115,000.
'.lie tot^l value of the trade amounted to £.1,691,558 as
compared with £.2,313,257 in 1329/30, showing a decrease of
£. 1,125,60t or 39.9 per cent.
fhe total value of imports amounted to £#1,087,534 as
against £.1,930,692 in 1929/30,showing a decrease of £.843,168
or 43*7 per cent, fhe decrease is chieflj due to the world
wide fall in prices of commodities but owing to the tightness
of readj aonej and the simp in the pearl trade actual imports
have decreased and the aarket for better class goods is at a
stead-still*
ince pearls are a luxur/,and are onlj bought when other
wants have been satisfied, the depression has been felt acutely
in Bahrsia / which is almost entirely dependent on the pearl tradf
for a living.
It will be seen that Cotton goods valued at £.79,938
are shown as imported from India, this is misleading as the
hulk of the cargo imported from the IMited Kingdom arrives
via India and conse uentl/ appears under this heading,and also
«. luantitj of Japanese piecepjods.
mm* ■mmms
kgeneral description of this industry is given in this