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'Government of Bahrain Annual Report for Year 1361 (February 1942 - January 1943)' [‎247r] (19/76)

The record is made up of 1 volume (37 folios). It was created in 1943. It was written in English. 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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(z4r
13
The P.W.D. budget for 1362 provides for the completion of the Sea Road Extension, a wall
surrounding the Government Hospital with gates, some improvements to the Fort including a new
Clothing Store and magazine, enlargements to the jail at Jida, a dhobi ghat near the Palace Garden,
further alterations to the Manama Palace, a guard room at the Adviserate, rebuilding the Fort stables,
additions and alterations to Government Hospital Dispensary and a Mortuary. The total amount
allocated for new works is Rs. 50,000. Upkeep of roads and bridges is estimated at Rs. 15,000 and
annual repairs to Government buildings at Rs. 15,000.
THE DIVING INDUSTRY.
Although the price of pearls was higher than last year, especially at the end of the season, yet
the season as a whole was a bad one. Divers, Nakhudas and the shore merchants who financed the
boats in most cases made no profits. Out of 188 boats whose accounts were dealt with by
the Government clerks only 45 boats made a profit. One important pearl was found which was sold
for Rs. 6,000 and in this boat divers received Rs. 282 and pullers Rs. 188.
At one time prices in the pearl market dropped suddenly by 25% but recovered after some
weeks and then rose at the end of the season. This fluctuation was due to the disturbances in India
which caused the Bombay market to close down for some time.
The reason for the unsuccessful season was the great increase in the price of foodstuffs and
the increase in the amounts of the diving advances which were decided upon at the usual meeting of
diving Nakhudas and merchants soon after the previous season. The 1360 season was good and the
merchants and Nakhudas optimistically assumed that the 1361 season would be still better.
There was an increase in the number of diving boats, in 1360 the number of licensed diving
boats was 222, in the year under review 298 boats went to the banks.
I estimate that the value of the catch in 1361 was Rs. 10,35,000, about 28% more than in 1360.
This represents the amount received by divers and Nakhudas and is considerably less than the final
value of the pearls when they leave Bahrain after changing hands.
The biggest buyers in 1361 were Seth Kishni and Seth Gendmal, Hindu merchants of Bombay,
Messrs. Dhamanmal Isardas, Shaikh Mustafa bin Abdul Latif, Shaikh Mohamed Ah Zarnal and Haj
Abdul Rehman Mohamed Taher Khunji.
A new and useful market, though not at present very important, for medium and low grade
pearls developed in Iraq where Jewish merchants have begun to interest themselves in pearls.
The following table shows the fluctuations in prices in Bahrain during the season
1360
per chow
Rs. Rs.
70 to
15 to
! 25 to
5 to
1361
per chow
Sherin
Golwa
Na'am
Badla
90
20
30
7
Rs.
120
30
40
to
to
to
to
Rs.
150
35
45
10
The following is a summary of the account of a typical diving boat .
15 divers
16 pullers
1 Nakhuda
Receipts
Sales of pearls
Rs. a. p.
2,302 0 o
Payments
Government tax
1/5th share of Nakhuda and
financier
Cost of food
Shares of divers @ Rs. 37 ..
Shares of pullers @ Rs. 24 ..
Rs.
a.
P-
25
0
0
455
6
6
884
7
0
554
14
6
382
4
0
2,302 o
2,302 0 o

About this item

Content

This volume is the Annual Report of the Government of Bahrain for the year 1361 AH (1942-1943) and gives te details of the Revenue and Expenditure of the Bahrain State and contains notes on the activities of the various Government departments, as well as the budget 1362 and some particulars of importance which took place in Bahrain during the year. It includes text, photographic images, graphs and tables. The report appears to be compiled from reports from various Government departments and officials. An index appears on folio 240r, followed by a General Review by Charles Dalrymple Belgrave, Adviser to the Government of Bahrain, dated 19 May 1943 (folios 243v-244r).

The contents are divided into the following sections and sub-sections:

  • Death of His Highness Shaikh Hamad [Ḥama bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah] and Accession of His Highness Shaikh Salman [Salmān bin Ḥamad Āl Khalīfah] (folios 241r-243r);
  • Budget 1361(folio 244v);
  • Summary of Revenue and Expenditure 1361 (folio 245r);
  • Statement of Revenue and Expenditure 1361 (folio 245v);
  • Note on Revenue 1357 (folio 246r);
  • Note on Expenditure 1357 (folio 246r-246v);
  • Public Works Department (folios 246v-247r): Government Hospital, Manama Sea Road, Manama-Muharraq Road, and Manama Palace;
  • The Diving Industry (folio 247r-247v);
  • Police and Public Security (folios 247v-248v): Strength, Promotions, Routine, Jail, Crime, List of Police Prosecutions in the Bahrain Courts 1361 and List of Prosecutions in the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. Court 1361;
  • Air Raid Precautions (folio 248v);
  • Public Health (folios 250r-254v): Men's Hospital, by Dr R H B Snow, State Medical Officer (Summary of Male Statistics of the Bahrain Government Hospital and Dispensaries 1361 (1942), Special Notes (The death of His Highness Sheikh Sir Hamad bin Esa Al Khalifah, K C I E, C S I, The Administration Block, The Services, Anti-Malarial Work, The Schools, The Police, Laboratory and X-Ray Work), Predominating Men's Outpatient Diseases, Bahrain Government Hospital Inpatients, Major Operations, Minor Operations, Injections, Inoculations, Vaccinations, Isolation Hospital In-Patients, Men's Dispensaries, Comments), Women's Hospital, by Dr I M A Doeg, Lady Medical Officer (Out-Patients, Diseases Treated, In-Patients, and Result of Obstetric Cases), and Matron's Report;
  • Land Registration Department (folios 254v-255r);
  • Judicial (folios 255r-255v): The Bahrain Courts, Bahrain Small Court, Shara [Sharia] Courts, Majlis Tijara [Majlis Tijārah], and Appeal Court;
  • Municipalities (folio 255v-256r): Manamah Municipality and Muharraq Municipality;
  • Wakf [Waqf] Departments (folio 256r);
  • Education (folios 256-259): Boys' Schools, by Mr F J Wakelin, Director of Education (The Hostel, The Secondary School, Manamah Primary School, Muharraq Primary School, Hedd Primary School, Village Schools, Staff, Books, Syllabus, Examinations, Games, General, Policy, and Finance), Girls' Schools, and Technical School, by Mr G E Hutchings, Principal (Students, Staff, Equipment, and Contract work and standard craftsmanship);
  • Minors Department (folios 259v-260r);
  • Agriculture (folio 260r-260v);
  • Passport Department (folios 260v-261r);
  • Food Control (folios 261r-263r), including Comparison in Princes between Pre-War and Present Rates;
  • General (folio 263v): Hs Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester's Visit, The Motor Rocket, Poor Relief Measures, Gift of Dates from His Majesty King Ibn Saoud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd], and Bahrain Levies;
  • State Engineer's Department, report by Mr W B Steele, State Engineer (folios 264r-270v): Statement of Energy generated, sold, etc., Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Account, Load and Revenue Curve 1360, and Load and Revenue Curve 1361;
  • Oil Gauging (folios 268r-269r): Graph showing Field Production and Crude Oil Imports 1941 and Graph showing Field Production and Crude Oil Imports 1942;
  • Customs Department (folios 271r-273r);
  • Budget 1362 (folio 273v);
  • Note on Budget 1362 (folio 274r).

Illustrations appear on four folios and they are labelled as follows:

  • Folio 241: 'His Late Highness Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Alkhalifah, K.C.I.E., C.S.I.';
  • Folio 242: 'His Highness Shaikh Sulman bin Hamad Alkhalifah, K.C.I.E., Ruler of Bahrain';
  • Folio 249: 'Bahrain Government Hospital';
  • Folio 262: 'H.R.H. The Duke of Gloucester with H.H. Shaikh Sir Sulman'.

On folio 274v there is an inscription that reads 'The Times of India Press, Bombay'.

Extent and format
1 volume (37 folios)
Arrangement

This file contains an index (folio 240r) which references pages of the report.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: Folio 238-275.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'Government of Bahrain Annual Report for Year 1361 (February 1942 - January 1943)' [‎247r] (19/76), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/750/7, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100024140828.0x00005c> [accessed 24 April 2024]

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