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'File 9/5 Bahrain Reforms. Reforms in Pearling and Boat Registration' [‎55r] (126/434)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (207 folios). It was created in 4 Aug 1895-12 Feb 1930. 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. .

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The Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , Bnhroln.
CjjS^' Paral^n Gulf.
l'j/24
I'rom 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. , Bahrein.
To The Hon'hl the Political Heaident.BuBhire
amoranaum ? «rrllng Lic^EaBS .
hile yon were here on tour I laentioned to you that one Muhsmsv -a bin
labah hud approsched Shsik Hpaed with a view to escaping the new
'earling tsx.on the gnund that when his tr be came to Bahrain in the
feer o? ^nb&reh Shoilc iilasa ted undertaken not to t' ~7i them.In anpport
if this he produced a domuaent given by .Jhaik Saafs which Mr Oaakin
I
iv r d subseaaantl^ signed. Wh0ii 3h?iik startsd "to run
lere, but bafora tha initiation of tha rafor»B,they got a document
'rom him to tha effect thr;t ha would oontinu© 3}^ik H)aa^ 1 s arrangamant
|
dth them.
fhey elf 1 im thct ns Mr Qaskin countersigned the original document, it
fus consequently approved by the British Governmaat. It wfcs frequently
bhe custom of Jhaik Sasa's subjects whenever they got any
such document, to bring it to tha Political gent ; asii hiia to
nitness ihalk TiSasa* a signature .They presuaably did so thinking that
the dhiiik would be ess likely to go bHck on it if the P.A.'s
V
signature had been recorded* therein .Such a signiture did not
necess rily convey thst tha 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. approved,of, or took any
interest in,the contents of the document,but amounted to the
witnessing of Shaik asa f s seal.
At the tima tha two documents in question were given,there
was no regular taxation.The Shaik took taxes when he could & let off
verybody of whom he was afrald^not only this tribe,but they seem
;ha only people .who took the precaution to get a document from him,
,,j i H
They now ^sk fori he Huler to adhere to the old arrangenant.
I hsve advisdd the 3haik to say that at the time the documents v^ra
riven conditions wer^ entirely different-there was no orgsmisaa
Government or equality in taxation.The reforms have been ifltroduoa

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Content

The volume contains correspondence and reports relating to proposed reforms of the pearling industry in Bahrain. The majority of the correspondence takes place between 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. (Clive Day, who was the principle architect of the pearling industry reforms, and served from 1921 to 1926, superseded by Cyril Barrett), 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. or his secretary, and the advisor to the Bahrain Government, Charles Belgrave.

The reforms proposed, and which are discussed at length throughout the volume include:

  • Economic reforms, with particular attention given to shares of the profits paid to divers, and the allowances paid to divers, and interest on their debts, through the Salifeh court. This aspect of the reforms was designed to reduce the state of debt slavery that many divers existed in towards their boat masters ( nakhudas );
  • The introduction of accounts books for all pearl divers;
  • Boat registration and pearl fishing licenses;
  • The introduction of a hospital boat intended to patrol the pearling banks, with medical staff on board who are capable of providing medical attention to pearl divers as required;
  • The advantages and disadvantages of permitting pearl merchants to use motor launches to reach the pearling boats, the use of which would place some merchants at an advantage over those travelling under sail power.

Items of note in the file include:

Extent and format
1 volume (207 folios)
Arrangement

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The volume is foliated from the front cover to the inside back cover, using pencil numbers in the top-right corner of each recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. . An earlier, incomplete foliation sequence, using blue pencil circled numbers in the top right corner of rectos, runs from folios 24 to 66. The following foliation anomalies occur: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 23a, 79a, 130a, 157a.

The following folios are fold-outs: 37, 42, 46-50, 52, 53, 60, 62, 70-73, 75-79, 79a, 84-86, 90, 92, 94, 96, 106, 111, 121-26, 149-54, 157, 157a, 161, 171, 177, 179, 183, 184, 187, 193.

Due to the binding of the volume, the text on some items runs very close to the gutter, making text more difficult to read.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 9/5 Bahrain Reforms. Reforms in Pearling and Boat Registration' [‎55r] (126/434), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/132, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023321595.0x00007f> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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