Abstract: The file comprises correspondence between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Trenchard Craven Fowle), the Political Agent at Bahrain (Hugh Weightman), the Political Agent at Muscat (Ralph Ponsonby Watts) and Petroleum Concessions Limited (Stephen Hemsley Longrigg) regarding arrangements for geologists from Petroleum Concessions Limited to undertake geological exploration at Jebel Faiyah [Jabal al Fāyah], Baraimi [Al Buraymī] and Jebel Hafit [Jabal Ḩafīt].Possible routes of entry to the Baraimi Oasis through Sharjah, Muscat and Abu Dhabi are discussed along with the proposal to use two exploration parties which could meet up at the Oasis. One exploration party was sent from Muscat to Jebel Hafit and Baraimi with the assistance of the Sultan of Muscat (Sayyid Sa‘īd bin Taymūr Āl Bū Sa‘īd) and escorted by the Wali of Sohar (Mudhaffar Suliman). The other, escorted by a political officer John Baron Howes, hoped to travel through Beni Kitab [Beni Qitab] territory and visit Jebel Faiyah before going on to Baraimi, but ultimately had to travel there directly from Abu Dhabi with the assistance of the Wali of Al Ain (Ibrāhīm bin ʻUthmān).The remainder of the volume discusses the various intrigues and difficulties encountered by the exploration parties in attempting to negotiate with the principal tribes at the Baraimi Oasis in order to gain access to their territory for exploration. The tribes involved include the Na’im [Na‘īm] (Shaikh Saqr bin Sulṭān), Al Bu Shamis [Āl Bū Shāmis] (Shaikh Muḥammad bin Raḥmāh bin Salmin), Beni Ka’ab [Banū Ka‘ab] and Abu Dhabi.Contained within the volume are detailed letters and reports submitted by John Baron Howes, Assistant Political Agent at Bahrain, who had accompanied one of the exploration parties to Baraimi. The correspondence details the various negotiations to enable the parties to travel, incidents on route and day by day accounts of the exploration party’s work and their interactions with the various tribes there. Folios 131-141 comprise Howe’s official report of his special duty in connection with the PCL exploration party and includes two sketch maps, one of the geographical layout of the Baraimi Oasis and the other of the distribution of the various tribes around the Oasis. A detailed appendix lists every tribe residing at the Oasis and includes details of their leaders, strength of arms, where their main settlement was, and whether they were Ghafiri or Hinawari [Hinawi].Also discussed are the lack of attempts made by the Shaikh of Sharjah to permit the geologists to visit Jebel Faiyah and subsequent attempts by Shaikh Khalid [Shaikh Khalid bin Aḥmad bin Sulṭān Āl Qasimī], Regent of Kalba to negotiate with Shaikh Muhammad bin Ali [Muḥammad bin ‘Īsá], Chief of the Beni Kitab to arrange for the PCL geologists to travel there. The negotiations were unsuccessful owing to the intrigues of various individuals on the Trucial coast, which the British believed to be orchestrated by the Shaikh of Sharjah (Shaikh Sulṭān bin Saqr Āl Qasimī).Other matters discussed in the volume include:PCL’s wish to establish an aerodrome at Baraimi, and their subsequent decision to establish it nearer to the coast owing to the difficulties encountered at Baraimi and the likely cost of acquiring permission from the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi (Shaikh Shakhbūt bin Sulṭān bin Zāyid Āl Nahyān);memorandum and reports from the Residency Agent at Sharjah (‘Abd al Razzaq) on visits made by Shaikh Saqr bin Sultan, Ruler of Baraimi and Shaikh Mohammed bin Rahmah, Chief of the Al Bu Shamis to the Trucial coast and of the various intrigues occurring on the Trucial coast in relation to the work of the geological exploration parties at Baraimi;the intention of the PCL geologists on their return to Muscat to travel to Ras-al-Hadd [Ra’s al Ḩadd] and undertake an aerial survey of the coastal area south of Ras-al-Hadd.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover and terminates at the 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 2-143; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not 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: This item consists of copies of correspondence, consultations, reports, and minutes cited in, or enclosed with, political letters from the Government of Bombay. These political letters appear in IOR/F/4/2203/108134. The correspondents are: the Government of Bombay; Major Samuel Hennell, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; and Moollah Houssein [Mullā Ḥusayn], British Agent at Shargah [Sharjah]. It is the eighteenth in a series of thirty items.The item concerns an invitation by Sheik Sultan bin Suggur [Shaikh Sulṭān I bin Ṣaqr al-Qāsimī of Ra’s al-Khaymah and Sharjah] to Sheik Saeed bin Tahnoon of Aboothabee [Shaikh Sa‘īd bin Ṭaḥnūn Āl Nahyān of Abu Dhabi] to join with him in attacking Debaie [Dubai] and Amulgavine [Umm al-Qaywayn] and attempts by Ul-Ujajee [Shaikh Muḥammad bin Sayf al-‘Ajjājī of Al Buraymi] to persuade Sheik Sultan to make peace with Sheik Saeed. The item also includes brief descriptions of acts of aggression between Debaie and Shargah.The item contains a contents page, and the title page of the item contains the following references: ‘Draft 700/47, Collection No 18 of No 49’.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with f 734, and terminates at f 741 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 item consists of copies of correspondence, consultations, and minutes cited in, or enclosed with, political letters from the Government of Bombay. These political letters appear in IOR/F/4/2203/108134. The main correspondents are the Government of Bombay and Major Samuel Hennell, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf. It is the second in a series of thirty items.The item concerns:Reports of conflicting rumours of Lieutenant William Henry Wybard’s fate, including death, marriage with children, and enslavementA potential rebellion against the Governor of Fars, Houssein Khan [Muḥammad Ḥusayn Khān Muqaddam Marāgha'i], by Bakir Khan [Bāqir Khān Tangistānī], Chief of Tungistan [Tangestan], and Hajee Khan [Ḥājī Khān], the Chief of Dashtee [Dashti County]Proceedings against ‘piratical’ ports by Commander John Croft Hawkins, Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf, and a proposed joint venture with the Governor of Fars to oblige ports along the Persian [Iranian] coast to pay compensation for British and Persian ships which had been the victims of ‘piracy’Violence against Bedouin tribes by Saed bin Tahnoon, Sheik of Aboothabee [Shaikh Sa‘īd bin Ṭaḥnūn Āl Nahyān, Shaikh of Abu Dhabi], and a demand for compensation by Mahomed ben Syf ul Ujajee, Sheik of Brymee [Muḥammad bin Sayf al-‘Ajjājī, Shaikh of Al Buraymi].The item contains a contents page, and the title page of the item contains the following references: ‘Draft 700/47, Coll[ection] 18, Collection No 1 of No 37’.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with f 612, and terminates at f 641 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.