Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎481r] (966/1028)

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Pearl Fishery.
hnnrirpri Pe f ! in g F1 eet, which only consisted of a little over three
boa f ’ was later than usual m leaving for the banks and less than
half had sailed by the end of May. It returned on the 23rd September,
inrnln 'f' P artlcI P at ed in the preliminary dive, and a few boats re-
successful t16 3aTi ^ S after t ^ le main clive was over t but these were not very
The season on the whole was a good one, the catch being the best there
he l n f° r ® everal y f ar 1 s - The banks t0 the nor tb of latitude 27° proved
^ be the best particularly those known as Baldani, Abu Dhalam and Abu
Khalalu to the east of Ras Mish’ab.
Locusts.
Flights of locusts in the early spring resulted in a very serious plague
of locusts in the hopping stage during the latter part of April, which did
a great deal of damage to the market gardens and grazing.
Postal Arrangements.
^Vith effect from the 1st May a motor mail service was established
between Kuwait and Zubair under contract with the Kuwait-Traq Motor
Transport Company There is at present a service three days a week in
each direction. Mails to and from India and beyond are now sent by this
service, which connects with the Fast Mail steamer at Basrah, a bag being
also made up for Bushire.
Medical.
There were no epidemics during the year, and the health of the popu
lation was satisfactory on the whole. Tuberculosis, diseases of the eyes and
ears and abdominal diseases were the most prevalent, the first named
accounting for a large proportion of the deaths amongst adults, and the
last named for those amongst children.
There is no satisfactory hygiene amongst the inhabitants.
In the Charitable Dispensary only out-patients were treated and minor
operations performed. Altogether 9,471 out-patients were treated, as com
pared with 8,103 in 1927. These included 2,070 women and 3,159 children.
At the American Mission Hospital 2,046 out-patients were treated in
the men's side, and 4,333 in the women’s. 486 surgical operations were
performed; and 332 patients were received into the wards.
Meteorology.
The summer of 1928 was abnormally hot for Kuwait, particularly dur
ing the latter part of June and in July, the thermometer reaching 123° F. on
one occasion, and being frequently above 120°.
6‘22 inches of rain fell during the year, of which 3-69 inches were in
tl^ first three and a half months. No rain fell from the middle of April
until the beginning of November, but 2 53 inches fell during the month of
November, which is when it is most wanted, so the prospects of a good
spring in 1929 are extremely good.
American Mission
Rev. E. E. and Mrs. Calverley and their three children were in Kuwait
throughout the year; as also was their Canadian governess, Miss
Robertson, except for three months during the summer when she was on a
holiday in Persia.