"ملف 19/175 البحرين - تجارة اللؤلؤ" [و‎‎٩] (٨٣/١٧)

No. ^-33 -S of 1924.
British Residency and Consulate-General,
Bushire, 10th April 1924.
The Political Agent,
Bahrain.
Pearlinr: C,'t5 lorip .
MSKOHAKT^ra .
Your meinorandiim 89-0 daied 51et larch 19^4.
I think that interest at a good high rale is
legitimately chargeable by merchants to Nakiiudas, as the
Pearling Industry is a hazardous and risky business - if
the season is a bad one or if there is a slump in the pearl
markets the lenders may have to wait for years for iheir
money / or at all events to get complete repayments. ihen
again Kakhudas when making advances to divers may reasonably
expect interest at a good high rate; as you say, the divers
have not earned the money; death, sickness or wilful
absence may prevent their ever earning it. '-he •tisqam*
is purely and simply something for the divers to live on in
the off season. ' heoreti^ally they should be able to
in
live during the off season by their earnings durijtg Jie
diving season ( but of course they never can / and the last
thing the Nakhudas want is for them to do so. .»ith a
view to ascertaining the practice in other places I tele-
-graphed to the Political Agent, Kuwait, to ascertain and
let me know the usual rate of interest on such advances in
that place, but i^ajor -lore says it will take some time so
1 cannot wait for the information; I am asking him to send
you a copy of his letter,direct.
I agree with you in thinking that the interest on
* Salaf 1