"ملف 19/175 البحرين - تجارة اللؤلؤ" [و‎‎١‎٨] (٨٣/٣٥)

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though theoretically unasBailafcle, ie in practice a consi
derable hardship on the nakhuda. In the pearl trade bargains
can only be made by IWtoa astute "haggling" with a would-be
purchaser and by closing suddenly with a favourable off^r.
If the nakhuda is hampered by having to consult 2/^rds of his
crew, who are mostly ignorant of the market value of the
pearls, he is precluded from making a good bargain. On shore,
when the diving season is over, the divers scatter almost
atonce to their homes and nakhudas have to my knowledge in
many cases had the greatest of difficulty in assembling 2/^rds
of their crew for a sale of the pearls, and in many cases
thev have lost valuable opportunities in doing so.
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I venture to think that there is in the present petition
a suggestion which is well worth consideration. If at the
beginning of te diving §§ §§§ season, the crew were to elect
by a majority vote a limited number of their own fellows to
represent their interests in the sale of the pearls throughout
the diving season, much of the difficulties now experienced
by the nakhuda would be alleviated, and the interests of the
crew would be adequately protected.
I would suggest that one representative for every 10 or
fraction of ten of the crew would be sufficient.
In regard to the renaining points raised in the petition
I would suggest that the duties of the diver towards the
nakhuda on shore and at sea, during the diving season and
immediately before and afterwards be defined in a proclamation
by Sheikh Hamad. Questions such as the arrest of tilii runaway
divers and the postponement of ordinary disputes till after
the find of the diving season might be similarly dealt with
in the same proclamation.
I submit the above suggestions merely from a desire to
record my impressions and experiences during the late diving
with
season and,/no object of embarasslng Major Daly whom you will
no
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