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'File 9/2 II Bahrain Reforms: Finances of the Bahrain Government' [‎51r] (116/302)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (138 folios). It was created in 20 Jun 1928-31 Dec 1931. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

Transcription

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-3
"The Port is mainly served "both for passenger and
cargo "by the British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd;,
whose steamers call here weekly with the upmail, and
fortnightly with the down mail. Also a weekly
mail service with the mainland ports has been unof
ficially instituted, and is carried on "by a local
motor launch. The chief export from Bahrain is
pearls, whose value is only estimable, and does
not appear here. It would be of great assistance
to merchants if the down mail could call here weekly;
but I understand the the Company 1 s chief objection to
this is insufficiency of cargo for export, though
this argument is fallacious if we compare this port
with Lingah or Henjam, on the Persian side.
"Strick line steamers used formerly to land their
Bahrain cargo at Bunder Abbas; but since the Persian
Authorities have demanded full import duty on such
cargom the steamers have called here direct from
England, a procedure which greatly benefits local
merchants. It is noteworthy that both the Strick
and the Hansa Lines bring here more cargo from the
Continent of Europe than comes from England, and
the continental suppliers T invoices are in English,
and their quotations are c.i.f. Bahrain. One can
not help thinking that English merchants are losing
a good market by not competing.
"Revenue.
Comparative statement of revenue.
Year 1346 1347.
Vehicle Licenses Rs 6,673/- 6,161/-
Pearling Licenses 68,350/- 67,025/-
Craft Licenses 3,630/- 3 850/-
G-overnment Lands 5,724/- *625/-
Mi scellaneous 6,211/- 10,913/-
90,588/- 88,574/-
"This shews a decrease of Rs 2,014/-
"Vehicle Licenses she?/ a decrease of Rs 512/-.
There are nearly two hundred motor cars in Bahrain
and of these two lorries and one private car are of
British make. The most popular car is the new
Ford model.
"Pearling Licenses shew a decrease of Rs 1.325/-
In 1346-7 there were licensed 531 pearling craft.
This year there are 527 craft. Owing to a Govern
ment concession to Khammos divers no penalties have
decrease tlliS yea^, ™ hlGh would ^count for thi
"Craft Licenses, she?/ an increase of Rs 220/- The
boatbuilding industry is steadily progressing and
the tendency during the past year has been tfwards
ttp ! ■ Bail; r a;:Ln '"^' llil " t Joliboats equipped with British
Thele .^fi neS Varyin§ from 25 t0 60 horsepower
These craft are engaged in cargo work with the main-

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Content

The volume’s correspondence and other papers concern Bahrain’s state budget, and the rising costs associated with the Bahrain civil list and the Āl Khalīfah family’s allowances. Most of the correspondence takes place between the Advisor to the Bahrain Government, Charles Dalrymple-Belgrave, and the Bahrain Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Colonel Geoffrey Prior. The volume is a chronological continuation of ‘File 9/2 II Bahrain Reforms: Finances of the Bahrain Government’ (IOR/R/15/2/128).

The volume includes Belgrave’s budgets for Bahrain for the Hijri years 1347 (1928, folios 5-25) and 1348 (1929, folios 38-66). In these reports Belgrave gives great detail of the state’s expenditure on modernisation. For example, detailed reference of Bahrain’s education system, including the opening of a girls’ school, is given in the 1348 budget (folios 61-63).

The remainder of the volume’s correspondence is chiefly related to Belgrave’s concerns over the continual financial increases being requested by Shaikh Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah to Bahrain’s civil list. Belgrave’s concern was that these allowances took up too great a proportion of the Bahrain state budget, and because the issue was primarily a political one, he deferred the issue to the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , who in turn referred the matter to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. . There are several copies of the civil list included in the file (for example, folios 81-83). Prior and Shaikh Ḥamad discuss Belgrave’s concerns about the increasing expenditure of the civil list in August 1929 (folios 84-90), with Shaikh Ḥamad raising the hope that revenues from other sources such as kerosene oil might alleviate financial problems.

Extent and format
1 volume (138 folios)
Arrangement

The contents of the volume have been arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest items at the beginning to the latest at the end.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The volume is foliated from the front cover to the inside back cover, using circled pencil numbers in the top-right corner of each recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. . There is an earlier foliation system which runs through the volume, using blue pencil numbers in the top-right corner of recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. pages.

The following foliation anomalies occur: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e.

The following folios are foldouts: 11-13, 18, 19, 36, 46-48, 54, 85-89, 97, 105, 111, 112, 133, 134.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 9/2 II Bahrain Reforms: Finances of the Bahrain Government' [‎51r] (116/302), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/129, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023321494.0x000075> [accessed 18 April 2024]

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