'File 19/212 II (C 47) Bahrain Transit Trade' [‎185br] (387/538)

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BRITI3H INDIA STEAM NAVIGATION CO. LTD
iIncorporated in England).
Post Box No. 1637 ^
Calcutta, 15th June, 1933.
The v ecretary.
British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd.
London.
i^ear Sir,
MAINIANU mm-.. VTA RAHHTCTT!.
With reference to your Private and Confidential letter
No. 110 of the 13th April and our reply No.158 of the 4th ultimo
on the subject of shipments to mainland ports Bahrein we have
not to advise that the situation has developed and, in order to
keep you informed of the progress of events, we give you below a
sirnmary of what has occurred.
A conference between the Hedjaz Sovernment and the Bahrein
Sorernment has been proposed and endeavours are being made to hold
it shortly. In the meantime the Hedjaz Government are pressing
shippers of rice to arrange for direct shipments to be taken to
3as Tanurah probably with the object in view of strengthening their
position at the coming conference. The Bahrein Government are doing
all they can to prevent shipment to mainland ports direct and our
Bahrein Agents inform us that, in the event of the Company arranging
for this direct shipment, the attitude of the Bahrein Government
•ill be unfriendly. ihe Bahrein Government apparently have in
^ew that if airect shipment is made to a mainland port it will
»eaken their case for the imposition of the transit duty now
in force ana it will eventually mean that cargo for mainland ports
^1 be shipped direct and not via Bahrein as hitherto. It is
flter therefore that if the iedjaz Government can arrange for a
"isignment to go forward to a mainland port before the conference
"held they will be in a strong position to insist on the 2/
as it duty being abolished. The Hedjaz Government are
l|» ,
n^xng pressure to bear on the two largest shippers of cargo
' !s tined for the Hedjaz, naiely Mr. Elmarzook and Mr. Ali Reza ;
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