ABSTRACT
AlthoughnopopulationcensusofBahrainduringthe1930s wastaken,itcanbeassumedthatroughly18%ofthepopulation consistedofforeigners.22ThesewereIndians(andthereforeBritish subjects),IraniansandOmanis.TherewasnoWesterncommunityto speakof,apartfromthePoliticalAgent,theAdviser,theDirectorof Customs,thePoliceChiefandtheAmericanmissionaries.Butafter BAPCOstartedoperations,theAmericancommunitystartedtogrow, albeitwithintheconfinesoftheconditionsoftheconcession.In January1935,therewere24AmericansinBahrain;inJanuary1936, thisfigurehadgrownto49;andbytheendof1936,ithadbecome 121.Thenextyeartherewere153AmericansworkingforBAPCOin Bahrain.23Thesubstantialincreaseregisteredduringtheperiodfrom 1936to1938wasbecausetherefinerywasbeingbuilt,andno suitableBritishengineersforthejobcouldbefound.Afterthat,the numbersdeclined:in1939,theywere91:in1940theywere67;in 1941,theywere55;in1942,theywere34;andin1943,theywere 32.24
ButeveninformalvisitsofUSofficialstoBahrainarousedthe suspicionsoftheBritishgovernment,despitethefriendlinessof Britishofficersinthefield.In1925theUSVice-ConsulinBushire visitedBahrainandstayedwiththePoliticalAgent.Hewasclosely watchedbythelatter,whoconcludedtherewasnoevidenceofhis havingindulgedinconsularactivities.
