Abstract: Distinctive Features:Coastline between Ras Mussendam (Musandam) and Ras El Hadd (Ras Al Hadd) shown in red with grid added in pencil.Tracing produced from Mr. Bower’s map which was requested by Lieutenant Colonel F.B. Prideaus, in letter dated 19th October 1925, in order to compare it with the map accompanied Alban’s confidential D.O. No. 58 of the 23rd September 1925.Physical description: Materials:Pen and ink on tracing clothDimensions:325 x 195 mm, on sheet 333 x 290 mm
Abstract: Distinctive Features:Relief shown by hachures.Provinces labelled Coastline of Oman shown in red with coast between Ras Diba and Khor Kalbah coloured blue. Grid added in pencil.Physical description: Materials:Pen and ink on paper with additions in pencil and crayonDimensions:335 x 220 mm
Abstract: The volume consists of the following:memorandum on tribal divisions in the Principality of Oman to accompany table of tribes, by Major Edward Charles Ross, Political Agent at Muscat (folios 2-3);table entitled 'Principal Tribes of Oman', signed by Ross (folio 4). The table is divided between the Hinawi and Ghafiri divisions and contains information in columns headed Names of Tribes. Adjective Form; Name of Tribes. Collective Plural Form; Religious Sect; Province; Villages or Districts; Number of Males; and Remarks;table entitled 'Genealogical Table of Descendants of the Imam Ahmed Al-Bu-Sa'idi', signed by Ross and dated at Muskat [Muscat] May 1872 (folio 5);map entitled 'Map of Oman Showing Distribution of the Principal Tribes. Compiled for Official Use by E C Ross, Political Agent, Muscat' (folio 6).The Arabic content of this volume is confined to letters of the Arabic alphabet appearing in the key to pronunciation and transliteration on folio 4.The date of the item is supplied by the date of Ross's tenure as Political Agent, Muscat, and by the date of the genealogical table (folio 5).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at 1 on the first folio after the front cover and terminates at 6, the last folio bearing text. The numbers are written in pencil, enclosed in a circle, and appear in the top right-hand corner of the recto page of each folio. The following folios need to be folded out to be examined: ff. 4, 5, 6.Condition: the front and back boards of the volume are detached.
Abstract: Distinctive Features:Relief shown by hachures and spot heights.Routes shown by dotted line with wells indicated. Names of tribes inserted on map in different colours showing their approximate location with a key provided in bottom left.The coast and principal mountain peaks are taken from the chart by Constable and Stiffe; the interior from Welstead's map and the projections from those by E B Girdlestone. Ross has corrected spellings and made additions taken from 'native sources'.Includes five tables listing names of tribes and details on their population and areas they inhabit.Physical description: Dimensions:589 x 800 mm, on sheet 659 x 930 mm
Abstract: Distinctive Features:Relief shown by hachures and spot heights.Includes a note on map compilation below title with a key of reference at the lower left.On verso, at the top right-hand corner: ‘OA 6021, 7-12-25’. Top left: ‘PLATE VI’. Bottom left: ‘M.R. REG., NO. 81, APRIL 1926’.Physical description: Materials:Print on fabricDimensions:512 x 678 mm
Abstract: Chart 1089.Hydrographic chart covering Masira Channel [Turʻat Masirah], the Arabian Sea, Masira Island [Jazirat Masirah] and a thirty-five-mile length of the eastern Oman coast. The Masira Channel, twelve miles wide and sixty miles long, separates Masira Island from the Omani mainland. Portrays hydrology, including depths by soundings and contours, sands, rocks, anchorages, relief by spot heights and hachures, vegetation, settlements, watering places and place names, and includes topographical notes and navigational aids, including prominent landscape features and buildings.Includes an annotated view, at an unspecified scale, of Masira Island from the south.Chart surveyed by Commander John Parke Sanders, Indian Navy 1845-1846. Engraved by Davies & Company. Published at the Admiralty, 1888.Physical description: Materials: Printed on paperDimensions: 633 x 481mm, on sheet 685 x 508mm
Abstract: The volume contains correspondence between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Trenchard Craven Fowle), the Political Agent at Bahrain (Percy Gordon Loch), the Political Agent at Muscat (Ralph Ponsonby Watts), the India Office (Maurice Clauson), Petroleum Concessions Limited (Major Frank Holmes, John Skliros, Stephen Hemsley Longrigg) and the Standard Oil Company of California (Hamilton R Ballantyne) regarding Petroleum Concessions Limited’s interest in an oil concession in Muscat and their intention of opening negotiations with the Sultan of Muscat and Oman (Sayyid Sa‘īd bin Taymūr Āl Bū Sa‘īd) which were delayed owing to the Sultan extending his stay in the interior of his country near Dhofar [Zufār].Included in the file are copies in Arabic and English of the proposed concession agreement for Muscat and Oman, including correspondence regarding possible amendments to the agreement and copies of the various drafts which can be found at folios 5-20, 28-40, 109-124, 136-139, 144-159 and 195-210.Also discussed is correspondence between the Sultan of Muscat and the Standard Oil Company of California, including samples of oil seepages found near Dhofar which were sent to the company for assessment but were not found to contain crude oil.Also discussed are the concerns of British authorities at Standard Oil’s attempts to acquire concessions in the Persian Gulf and conversations between the Company’s representative in London and the India Office at which the Company were made aware that Petroleum Concessions Limited had been given first right of negotiation in that area.Other matters of interest within the file include:concerns over possible reactions by the Bani Bu Ali [Banī Bū ‘Alī] tribe to any negotiations for, or grant of, an oil concession in Muscat, which would cover the Sur district where they held power;discussion regarding the difficulty of defining the boundaries for the Imamate of Oman;a visit paid by Major Holmes to Cairo and the British authorities in the Persian Gulf interest in knowing who he had met and what he had discussed whilst there;correspondence regarding Count Byron de Prorok and his wife Alice who had travelled from Aden to Muscat and Bahrain with the intention of searching for antiquities and archaeological sites in the region, and Tullio Pastori who was visiting Muscat and Bandar Abbas [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] to recruit labour for an Italian road construction project in Eritrea; and British officials suspicions that their visits to the area were on behalf of an Italian Oil concern, which were concluded to be unfounded.A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 227-236.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 also present in parallel between ff 21-226; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: The volume comprises correspondence between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Trenchard Craven Fowle, Olaf Caroe), the Political Agent at Muscat (Ralph Ponsonby Watts), the India Office (Maurice Clauson, John Charles Walton), the Secretary of State for India (Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland), Petroleum Concessions Limited (Frank Holmes, Stephen Hemsley Lonrgigg, Frederick Lewisohn) and the Sultan of Muscat (Said bin Taimur Al Bu Said) regarding negotiations for the granting of two oil concessions for Dhofar and Muscat territory, which were concluded by Basil Henry Lermitte of Petroleum Concessions Limited, with the concession agreements being signed on 24 June 1937.Also discussed in the volume are arrangements for a meeting between Stephen Hemsley Longrigg of Petroleum Concessions Limited and the Sultan of Muscat, which was to take place in India, in order to discuss how they might go about exploring the South East Muscat Coast and also how to gain access to the hinterland under the control of the Imam of Muscat. Also included is a request by the Sultan of Muscat for the Political Agent at Muscat, Ralph Ponsonby Watts, to be present not only at the meeting with Longrigg but also at later meetings in Delhi where the British treaty with Muscat was likely to be discussed.Further discussion relating to exploration is included between the India Office and Petroleum Concessions Limited regarding the Company’s interest in exploring the South East Coast of Muscat and parts of the interior controlled by the Imam of Muscat and the difficulties they would be likely to encounter in attempting to do so; along with the area west of the Oman Mountain Range which Petroleum Concessions Limited were interested in ascertaining any known boundaries for, and otherwise how best to approach exploration there.Another matter of discussion within the volume is Count Byron de Prorok and his wife who had travelled to Muscat to undertake archaeological exploration, but had been refused permission to explore the interior of the country by the Sultan of Muscat. The correspondence goes on to discuss allegations made by a number of individuals and organisations that the he was not entitled to hold the rank of Count; that he had been discredited in the scientific community and could not be considered to be an archaeologist; and that a number of institutions he claimed to have the support and backing of for his explorations had issued statements refuting any involvement with him. Later correspondence discusses an application made by him for permission to travel into the Rub-el-Khali in an attempt to discover an ancient city believed to be there and the India Office’s intention of declining the request. Also included with this correspondence is discussion of a visit made by an Italian, Tullio Pastori, to Muscat and Bandar Abbas and giving Mr Pastori’s background and intentions in visiting the region to recruit labourers to construct roads in Eritrea.Other matters of interest in the volume include:discussion surrounding ongoing communication between the Sultan of Muscat and the California Arabian Standard Oil Company, who wished to undertake examinations in Muscat territory for the potential development of Petroleum resources there, and regarding such correspondence being in opposition to conditions imposed in the Sultan’s treaty with the British Government.correspondence regarding proposed amendments to the Political Agreement to be signed by Petroleum Concessions Limited and the India Office in relation to the Muscat concession.the proposed itinerary for a tour to be undertaken by the Sultan of Muscat in 1937 to India, Singapore, Japan, USA, Britain, France and Italy.A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 175-184.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 also present in parallel between ff 3-174; these numbers are also written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: This file contains miscellaneous correspondence consisting primarily of letters between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and the Political Agent in Muscat. The subject matter of the correspondence covers a range of subjects, most of them pertaining to the resolution of commercial and legal matters with the Secretary to the Government of India based in Bombay. Many letters also discuss the changing political situation in Oman, particularly the British discussions of support for the Sultan of Muscat. Two letters from the Sultan are included in 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 284; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: This file contains miscellaneous correspondence consisting primarily of letters between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and the Political Agent in Muscat. The subject matter of the correspondence covers a range of subjects, most of them pertaining to the resolution of commercial and legal matters with the Secretary to the Government of India based on Bombay. Many letters also discuss the changing political situation in Oman, particularly the British discussions of support for the Sultan of Muscat. Several letters contained in the file are in Gujarati.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 490; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: The item consists of six letters from the Government of Bombay to the East India Company Court of Directors. The letters refer to general updates from the Persian Gulf and surrounding regions between April 1847 and January 1848. It is the first in a series of fifty-nine items on events in the Gulf.The first letter is dated 16 June 1847 and is present at folios 206-207. Partial enclosures to this letter can be found at:IOR/F/4/2238/112323IOR/F/4/2238/112324IOR/F/4/2238/112325IOR/F/4/2238/112326IOR/F/4/2238/112327IOR/F/4/2238/112328.The second letter is dated 3 July 1847 and is present at folios 209-210. Partial enclosures to this letter can be found at:IOR/F/4/2238/112329IOR/F/4/2238/112330IOR/F/4/2238/112331IOR/F/4/2238/112332The third letter is dated 31 August 1847 and is present at folio 212. Partial enclosures to this letter can be found at:IOR/F/4/2238/112333IOR/F/4/2238/112334IOR/F/4/2238/112335IOR/F/4/2238/112336IOR/F/4/2238/112337IOR/F/4/2238/112338IOR/F/4/2238/112339IOR/F/4/2238/112340The fourth letter is dated 30 September 1847 and is present at folio 214. Partial enclosures to this letter can be found at:IOR/F/4/2238/112341IOR/F/4/2238/112342IOR/F/4/2238/112343IOR/F/4/2238/112344IOR/F/4/2238/112345IOR/F/4/2238/112346IOR/F/4/2238/112347IOR/F/4/2238/112348IOR/F/4/2238/112349IOR/F/4/2238/112350IOR/F/4/2238/112351IOR/F/4/2238/112352IOR/F/4/2238/112353The fifth letter is dated 13 November 1847 and is present at folios 216-217. Partial enclosures to this letter can be found at:IOR/F/4/2238/112354IOR/F/4/2238/112355IOR/F/4/2238/112356IOR/F/4/2238/112357IOR/F/4/2238/112358IOR/F/4/2238/112359IOR/F/4/2238/112360IOR/F/4/2238/112361IOR/F/4/2238/112362IOR/F/4/2238/112363IOR/F/4/2238/112364IOR/F/4/2238/112365The sixth letter is dated 31 January 1848 and is present at folios 218-220. Partial enclosures to this letter can be found at:IOR/F/4/2238/112366IOR/F/4/2238/112367IOR/F/4/2238/112368IOR/F/4/2238/112369IOR/F/4/2238/112370IOR/F/4/2238/112371IOR/F/4/2238/112372IOR/F/4/2238/112373IOR/F/4/2238/112374IOR/F/4/2238/112375IOR/F/4/2238/112376IOR/F/4/2238/112377IOR/F/4/2238/112378IOR/F/4/2238/112379IOR/F/4/2238/112380The title page of the item contains the following references: ‘Bombay Political Department’, ‘Draft N. 345/48’, ‘Collection No. 2, Vol: 1’ and ‘Examiner’s Office’.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description (used for referencing) commences at f 204, and terminates at f 220, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the bottom right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: the item also contains an original pagination sequence.
Abstract: This file contains correspondence relating to the region of Dhofar and the authority of the Sultan of Muscat over it. The letters are primarily exchanges between the British government in Bombay, the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, as well as copies of less frequent letters from Sultan Turki bin Said, Omar bin Saleh, the Naqeeb of Mukalla, and Sayyid Fadhl, the Amir of Dhofar. The subject of the letters concerns the authority of the Sultan in Dhofar, and specifically, British views on how to secure it.Most of the Arabic letters are copies transcribed and signed by Darwish Ahmed working on behalf of the British government. Translations of the Arabic letters are all included in folios immediately preceding or after the letters themselves.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 213; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.