'File 19/212 II (C 47) Bahrain Transit Trade' [‎24r] (61/538)

sui i iciently attractive to retain the transit trade, tiie Bahrain
GrOYernment are prepared to make tiie following arrangements
(a) to allow direct transhipment within the Port limits
ci consignments of goods,subject to a minimum of
1,000 bags in each consignment,
(bj to increase the period of free idianchijah from 20 to
2b days,reckoned from trie aate on w^icl txie cargo
is taken over by the customs Department,and
(c) to limit the charges on re-export cargo stored in the
customs sheds up to 25 days "ta the duxy of and
porterage,and to forego ^aladiyah and ±-ier tees.
these arrangements go far to meet the requests that have
been made from time to time by merchants. I would add that
the Bahrain Government are prepared to reduce,or even to do
away with,the minimum of 1,000 bags; and I understand that a
minimum was lixed in tiie first instance at the request of the
local iigents ol the British India ^tearn Navigation Oompany
Limited,who considered that"difficulties might arise if
numerous small shipments were to be made.
4. i understand that liis liXcellency Shaildi iiamad bin Isa al
iQia±itah expressed sone displeasure at the suggestion of the
British India Steam Navigation Oompany Limited that tne 2/«?
duty on transhipped cargo should be reduced,as he seemed to
regard it as asking him to help the Company at the expense of
Bahrain. I can understand his taking this point of view and
.uope that it will prove possible to preserve the transit trade
without so costly a concession,but,when and if the time comes
^or the proposed Oonterence with a representative of the Sa T udi
Arab Grovernment,it should be less difficult,than it would be
at the moment,to persuade him to recognise that there is
another point of view - that is to say,that to reduce the 2 /y
duty may be the only means of saving something out of what
may otherwise become a total loss ot the transit trade.
It is only a conjecture on my part but I fancy that in his
mind is working the idea that but for our insistence on a rate
of there would have been a higher rate from which something