Abstract: This file concerns plans in 1944-45 and 1949 to open bank branches on the mainland of Saudi Arabia. The file contains correspondence between the Political Agent at Bahrain; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf at Bushire; Ernest Vincent Packer, Petroleum Concessions Limited, Bahrain; the Assistant Secretary to the Government of India; D Ham, Manager of the Eastern Bank Limited, Bahrain; and the Chancery, British Embassy, Jedda. There are also copies of correspondence between the India Office, the Government of India and the Political Residency at Bushire, as well as between the Foreign Office and His Majesty's Government at Jedda. In addition, there is correspondence between Ham and N S Golder, General Manager of the Eastern Bank Limited, London, gathered through interception.The correspondence from 1944-45 concerns the possibility of opening a branch of the Eastern Bank Limited on the mainland of Saudi Arabia at Dhahran [al-Ẓahrān] or Al Khobar [al-Khubar], and possibly at Ras Tanura [Ra’s Tanūrah]. Folios 31-37 include a letter and diary with details of Ham's trip to the mainland of Saudi Arabia in July 1944, his meetings with officials from the California-Arabian Standard Oil Company (later Aramco) and Saudi officials, as well as a dispute regarding his Jewish Head Clerk. In addition, the correspondence includes details of other banks making attempts to open branches on the mainland, including the Chase National Bank, the Imperial Bank of Iran, and the National City Bank of New York. There are details of conditions imposed on the National City Bank of New York for opening in Saudi Arabia (f 48) and of a visit by their representative, G Martel Hall (ff 57, 60, 65 and 67).The correspondence from 1945 (ff 71-72) concerns the possibility of the British Bank of Iran and the Middle East opening a branch at al-Khubar.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present between ff 3-72; these numbers are also written in pencil, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence, but they are not circled. The volume also contains a pagination sequence between ff 73-75.
Abstract: This file concerns suspicions of foreign agent activity in Saudi Arabia. Folios 2-5 and 8 concern suspicions held by C S Freebury of Gray Mackenzie and Company Limited at Ras Tanura, with regards to Mr Jean de Kuharski and Mr Pixton (Polish and English citizens respectively, who are said to be making a documentary film about the life of Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd]), and an American named William Frary. Folios 6-7 concern information received with regards to three men (two Palestinian Arabs and a Bulgarian) who have been trained in a Russian military intelligence school and who are seeking work in Aramco at Dhahran (al-Ẓahrān). The file contains correspondence between Cornelius James Pelly, Political Agent at Bahrain; Lieutenant-Colonel William Rupert Hay, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf at Bahrain; C S Freebury of Gray Mackenzie and Company Limited at Ras Tanura; His Majesty's Minister at Jedda; and Charles Dalrymple Belgrave, Adviser to the Bahrain Government.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover on folio 1 and terminates at the back cover on folio 10; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: The file contains correspondence between the Political Agent at Bahrain, the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain regarding the use of pearling banks within areas of oil interest near Ras Tanura.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 11; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 3-8; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.
Abstract: The file concerns the transhipment of cargo in Bahrain (also referred to as Bahrein) territorial waters, the collection by Bahrain of transit dues on cargoes, and relations between Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Britain.The correspondence is principally between the Political Agent, Bahrain (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch); the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle); and the India Office. There is also correspondence from Charles Dalrymple Belgrave, Adviser to the Government of Bahrain; and from Mackinnon, Mackenzie & Company, and the Mesopotamia Persia Corporation, agents of the British India Steam Navigation Company Limited. Enclosed correspondence from the Political Resident to the Political Agent, Bahrain includes correspondence from HM Minister, Jedda [Jeddah]; the Government of India; the Foreign Office; and the Mercantile Marine Department, Board of Trade.The papers cover: references to the incident concerning the imposition by Bahrain of transit dues on the SS
Ahmediin 1932; the effect of the transit dues on Saudi Arabia, and the attitude of its ruler, Ibn Saud (also referred to as Bin Saud) [Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd]; the effect of the transit dues on British shipping companies; the possibility that Saudi Arabia might cut out Bahrain by developing Ras Tanurah [Ra’s Tanūrah] as a commercial port, April 1933 - December 1934 (including a rough sketch of the pier at Ras Tanurah from the air, folio 273); a report that Anglo-Persian Oil Company were negotiating with Bin Saud to send shipments of oil direct from Doha to Ras Tanurah, April 1933; and reports of the SS
Fagervich, which had been chartered to transport rice direct from Rangoon to Ras Tanurah, September 1933. (The dates given refer to main items of correspondence, and may include enclosures of an earlier date.)The date range gives the covering dates of the main run of correspondence; however, the earliest dated document in the file is a copy of a letter dated 1 February 1933 on folio 10.The Arabic content of the file consists of two folios only: two copies of a letter from Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah [Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah], Ruler of Bahrain to Shaikh Abdullah bin Jiluwi [‘Abdullāh bin Jilūwī], Amir of Hasa (al-Aḥsā’).Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 312; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 6-311; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in same position as the main sequence.
Abstract: The file concerns the proposed development of the port of Ras Tanurah (also spelled Ras Tannurah) in Saudi Arabia to service the oil industry in Hasa. The British Government did not want to encourage the development of a Saudi Arabian port (folio 73), because of the adverse economic impact it would have on Bahrain (folio 63).The papers include: a request from the Californian Arabian Standard Oil Company (CASOC) for an Admiralty survey of the coast of Arabia, including minutes of a meeting between the Admiralty, the India Office, and the Company (folios 52-59); the conclusion of an agreement between the Government of Saudi Arabia and Gray Mackenzie & Company Limited to act as landing agents at Ras Tanurah, including correspondence from Sir Reader William Bullard, HM Minister, Jeddah; and consideration by the Government of India in 1940 whether trade with Saudi Arabia should be diverted to Ras Tanurah, with comments by the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf.The main date range of the papers is 1936-40; there is only one item of correspondence dated 1945.The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 78; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: The file concerns an approach to the India Office from the California Arabian Standard Oil Company Limited (CASOC), for assistance with the buoying of the channel leading to the company's chosen anchorage at Ras Tanura [Ra’s Tannūrah]. The request is contained in correspondence from the company's representative, Hamilton R Ballantyne, of Ballantyne and Company, London.The papers show that the Government of India and other British Government departments agreed to the request. The laying and maintenance of the buoys was to be undertaken by the Port Director, Basra, who would also employ a ship to carry out the work.The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 56; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: The file contains papers, mostly correspondence, relating to: a tour of Muscat by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and HM Consul-General, Bushire, in February 1940; his journey from Muscat to Bahrein [Bahrain] in the ship LT [Lighthouse Tender]
Nearchus; and a later tour of Bandar Abbas, Jask and Chahbar [Chabahar] in Iran by Prior in November and December 1943.The correspondence includes the following letters from Prior to the Secretary to the Government of India External Affairs Department: a letter dated 26 April 1940, which consists of a detailed account of his trip to Muscat, including the day he spent at Kuwait with Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Richard Patrick Dickson, and a stop to refuel and meet the Senior Naval Officer at Khor Kuwai [Khawr al Quway‘] on the way to Muscat, with twelve enclosed photographs [IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 22; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 23; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 24; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 25; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 26; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 27; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 28; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 29; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 30; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 31; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 32; IOR/L/PS/12/3940, f 63]; and a letter dated 29 April 1940, recounting Prior’s cruise from Muscat to Bahrain, with stops at Qais [Kish] Island and Ras Tanura. Copies of these letters were sent from Prior to Roland Tennyson Peel at the India Office.The file also includes: a copy (sent from Prior to the Secretary of State for India) of a letter from Prior to Sir Reader William Bullard, HM Minister, Tehran, dated 28 January 1944, which contains a report of his tour of Bandar Abbas, Jask and Chabahar; a letter in response from Bullard to Prior dated 22 February 1944; and a letter from the Foreign Office to Bullard, dated 23 March 1944, regarding Prior’s report.The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 66, these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.