"تقرير الإدارة عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج الفارسي للأعوام ١٩١٥-١٩١٩" [و‎‎١‎٨‎٧] (٣٩٦/٣٨٠)

TOR THE YEAR 1919, 66
(1) The Joint Courfc, consisting of the Political Agent or bis Indian
Assistant/and a representatives of Shaikh Isa the Ruler. This Court now sits
in the upper room of the Shaikh's Customs House, Manama. On each Weines-
day cases in which one party is a British or protected subject and the other a
Bahrain subject, are tried.
A large number of cases were satisfactorily settled during 1919 by this
Court, in spite of the fact that more often than not the Shaikh's representative
(especially Shaikh Abadullah, Shaikh Isa's youngest son) took up the cause of
his Father's subject in approved advocate style.
(2) The Majlis-al-Urfi, o*- the Court of representative merchants of stand
ing, lor purpose of trying Mercantile cases. This Court used to sit in the
Agency prior to the enforcement of the Order-in-Council. To-daj it also sits
in the Customs House every Wednesday. For many months the Majlis-al-
Urfi abstained from sitting owing to Shaikh Isa abusing his privileges and
dismissing a member without consulting the Political Agent. As Shaikh Isa
refused to adniic himself wrong, the Political Agent in turn refused to allow
the Court to meet, vide paragraph II above.
The other Courts existing are :—
The Salifa Court Judge Mohamed bin Fazil.
The Q^zi's Court Shaikii Qasim bin Mehza.
The Salifat-al-Bahr (Marine Court) Judge Mubarak bin Hamad.
During the year these Courts carried out the work expected of them fairly
well.
XVIII.— Climate. —Hamfall during 1919 was up to the average. The
heat as usual was terribly trying, especially during the months of May, June,
July and August.
Captain Bray, M.C., the late Politi3al Agent found the heat too much lor
him, and probably his illness was aggravated by the fierce weather of May and
June.
No rain guage or thermometer was kept in the Agency during 1919. It
is regretted, therefore, that no figures showing rainfall or temperature can be
reported.
This fe.ult is being remedied, the necessary instruments have now been
ordered. One of the mcst trying features of the Bahrain climate is the damp
ness of the atmosphere. In summer this makes a temperature of as low as 95
or 98° almost unbearable. Added to the above, is the extraordinary variation
of temperature which changes as much as 25° to 30° within 21 hours. These
sudden changes are mostly responssible for Bahrain's bad epidemics of fever.
XIV .—Epidemic and During the year under review Assist
ant Surgeon G. K. Monani, L. M. & S., has been in charge of Quarantine and
town sanitation, in addition to the Medical charge of the Victoria Memorial
Hospital,
U! Strenuous work was done during the influeuzi epidemic, w r hich commenced
at about the beginning of November 1918 and ended in January 1920. The
epidemic passed over the towns of Majaatna, Muharraq and Hadd, affecting,
almost e erv household to a greater or less extent All the members of the Al
Khalifah family were affected with the disease including His Excellency Shaikh
Isa All of them were treated by Assistant ourgecn (x. K. Monani. His
Excellency the Shaikh was affected with Broncho- Pneumonia and his condi-
tion was critical and although he got over the lilness with due care, the
e convalescence was prolonged and left lum very weak till the advent of spring.
The whole epidemic was dealt with single -handed, the Mission Hospital
bein-closed. Assistance was asked from Bushire but they could not spare
anyone. • t > i •
This was also the year for the probable recurrence of plague in Bahrain,
which comes on every alternate year. Before the probable season for the
appearance of pla-ue every effort was made to get the heaps of rubbish cleared
off from the bazaars and streets. A keen watch was kept on die mortality of