"ملف 19/175 البحرين - تجارة اللؤلؤ" [و‎‎٣‎٨] (٨٣/٧٤)

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Note by iir.TJelti ave, financial Adrlaer to
the Bahrain Government, on Baiirain Pearl Fiohera.
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The ciivirj^ community in Bahrain conaiate of 3
catereriea; the ahore merchanta who do the bi^ buying and
aelling and who either own or finance the boat a, tue nakhudaa
or .'boat captains, and the large inarticulate mass of di"?«r»,
illiterate Arabs who were previously cueated and optreaned
Ipy their employers, or rather their owners, the boat captains.
/ bout 15,000 local divers ^ out from Bahrain every aeaaon
and it haa been eatimfited that nbout 100,000 men from the
whole Qulf are employed on the banks every year.
Attempta to improve the diving oyatem met with
difficulties. The divers were auspicious and apathetic, the
merchanta and captains ^ere violently opposed to cnan^ea that
would looaen their hold over the men and until tne present
l^naikh succeeded hi a father it was considered unpolitic to
press for reforms. In 1924 Hia ixcellency shaikh Hamad in
conjunction with :aJor Daly, who waa then political Agent, and
with the aupport of tne (iovernment of India, took the matter
in nand. Only a very few of tne more far ai r ^ited mercnanta,
and the ihia and Sunnl Qjadia, supported the movement, but the
reforms were finally pushed through mainly owing to the keen-
nesa and energy of Vajor Jaly.
The principal features ore aa followsi-
X'he amount of the advance and the amount of intere.a
permissible is If id down by law. Ko other charges may be
do cited a^airst a diver. merchants and boat captains are
compelled to keep regular accounts, which were octde out by a
number of diving clerks who are authorised by the Covernment.
Kvery diver keeps a small book issued by tne Government which
aho^s his account with hie captain. Boat captaxno are lor-
bidden to aell the pearls privately but muat do so in the
preaence/