Coll 30/52(3) 'Bahrein Intelligence Summaries 1946' [‎194r] (389/472)

r
rioting 0 '’Wild Goose" had shore landing parties in
readiness in case assistance was needed by the civil power
or British lives or property were threatened. Perhaps be
cause of these precautions, up to the present nothing untoward
has happened except that in the main Girls' School the female
teachers went on strike. They were informed that if they
struck, they would not be employed any further by the Bahrain
Government. They fell into hysterics and we j re only brought
around by the suggestion of the wife of the Adviser that,
instead of striking, they should say prayers on behalf of the
Palestine Arabs for a quarter of an hour every day.
Sven though there were no exciting incidents here,
there were plenty of rumours, eg.
(a) A B.O.A.C. flying boat was carrying a cargo
of bombs through Bahrain to Tiberias for the Jews but had to
turn back and then try again. (The origin of this was that
a flying boat was stationed here for a. few days and made short
flights testing new equipment.)
(b) Outside Manama town the rumour went that 2000
British sailors had landed, cordoned the town, and were pre
venting all movement in and out.
(ii) The news of the invasion of Palestine by the armies
of the surrounding Arab States was received with jubilation
by the local population. Relief is felt at the prompt action
that has been taken by the Arab States. The course of events
in Palestine are being followed with great interest by all
classes and the coffee shops arc crowded to a late hour every
night by people listening to the radio news broadcasts.
119. LO CAL AFFAI RS.
(i) On the 6th the Bahrain State Police held their
Annual Field Day in the grounds of the Police Fort. The events
were well organised and included horse races, tent pegging,
high and long jumps, the pole vault, a sack race, and a 440
yards relay. The meeting was well attended, His Excellency
the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. and Lady Hay, His Highness Shaikh
Salman, the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , and Shaikhs Mohammed and Abdullah
bin Isa, the two uncles of His Highness, being among those
present.
(ii) On the 7th and 8th, the Annual Exhibition of
Handicrafts was held at the Qhadhibiyeh Palace, Manamah, the
exhibits consisting of work done by the Girls' Schools and
the Boys' Technical School. Sales were brisk.
(iii) As a result of the stoppage of supplies from Iran,
the price of rice has increased from Rs.3/- to Rs.4/8 per
Ruba. This increase is felt severely by the local middle
class.
(iv) It was possible to state in the Annual Administration
Report that no case of small-pox had occurred during last year.
This record has now unfortunately been broken by the appearance
of 6 or 7 cases in Manama.
(v) A second case of a lunatic seaman being landed and
stranded in Bahrain has occurred. The previous one, a Spaniard,
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caused....