'Adminisistration [Administration] Reports 1931-1935' [‎116r] (231/416)

3. MaiJs from London arrive in four days, and there is time for a renlv
to be sent home by the return mail-a most satisfactory state of affairs P Y
f + 1 ^’ m a™ a ce ^5 in ^ momi t of dissatisfaction among the local public
at the high rates charged tor fares to Basra and Bahrain (£4 and £8 resneo
right lCal Agent liYeS in h ° peS ° f beill S‘ able t0 §et these put
5. As foreshadowed in this Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. Administration Report for 1932 His
Excellency the Shaikh generously built a small shed (not rest house) oA the
aerodrome free of charge, for passengers to use as a shelter from sun, wind
and ram. The shed was completed in November 1933.
nr • 6 \ I ! 1 Novemher 1933, His Excellency the Ruler officially requested His
Majesty s Government to make it known that he did not wish “private”
aviators to land in or fly over his State, or over his territorial waters.
(. At the close of the year and after a certain amount of unavoidable delay,
His Excellency the Shaikh approved of all the clauses of the new “ Agreement
fur the regulation and control of civil aircraft ”, which His Majesty’s Govern
ment had been negotiating with the Kuwait Government. The Agreement now
only awaits official ratification.
8. There remains the question of the air agreement for His Majesty’s Royal
Air Force. This has yet to be presented, but the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. has little doubt that the
Shaikh will raise any serious objection to any of its clauses, in view of his well-
known desire to, at all times, assist, where British Naval, Military and Air Force
requirements are concerned. He only stipulates that his sovereign rights are
in no way impaired or threatened.
9. The re-marking and enlarging of the local aerodrome were satisfactorily
carried out in June by Captain Hudson, R.E. of the Royal Air Force (Works
Section), Baghdad.
(d) Boat Budding. —1. A note on the number, tonnage, etc., of boats built
during the year has been given in the year’s trade report and can be referred to
if necessary.
2. The following types of boats were all built during the year under
review :—
Bum,
, Sambuq,
Shu ’wai,
Bagala,
Jalboat,
Mashua.
3. No ‘ Batils ’ were laid down.
4. Speaking generally the boat building industry was stagnant during 1933.
This being due to the continued depressed pearl trade.
5. Out of approximately 700 pearl boats for instance, only 300 put to sea.
The remainder being laid up and kept in repair only.
6 As mentioned in this Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. Administration Report for 1932, His
Excellency the Shaikh, to assist the boat building trade, built a new yacht for
himself some 100' overall. His Excellency also had^ a 3-pounder B. L. naval gun
mounted on the bow, which with a powerful searchlight presented by the Anglo-
Persian Oil Company, Limited, added to the graceful and efficient appearance
of the boat. She was launched on 11th April with appropriate ceremony. The
modern 75 H P Tliornycroft Internal Combustion Engine, which had been fitted
to his first yaclit was taken out and placed in the new craft, and the old yacht
very cleverlv converted into a trading sea-going dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. .
(e) Pearl Season,—1. The staple industry of Kuwait, like Bahrain is the
nenrl fishiim industry. Some 10,000 men with their families are dependent for
tlieir lining on ihe annual dive, known locally as the Ghaus.
2. As mentioned above, if the pearl season is poor, it follows^that the boat
building, and sail making industry, also the manufacture of shark s oil, etc., aiu
all sympathetically affected.
, Tllp snme applies to a dozen other industries such as rope making, copper
nail manufXe'Ld the import of wood, spars, etc., etc.