Abstract: A memorandum explaining that Lord Canning, Viceroy and Governor General of India, had arbitrated between the two sons of Sultan Syud Saeed [Sayyid Sa‘īd bin Sulṭān Āl Bū Sa‘īd]upon his death. The two sons agreed the division of their inheritance between them as Sultans of Zanzibar and Muscat respectively, and the memorandum reproduces an Anglo-French declaration recognising the independence of the two sultans. The memorandum goes on to give the opinion of Sir E C Ross, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, regarding how Gwadar had originally fallen under the dominions of Muscat. The memorandum was written by Richard William Brant, Foreign Office.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at folio 86 and terminates at folio 90, as it is part of a larger volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. Two additional foliation sequences are present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but one set is circled and crossed through, the other set is not circled.
Abstract: The file relates mainly to the possible cession of Gwadar (which appears throughout in the form 'Gwadur') by the Sultan of Muscat. It includes a letter from Captain T Hickinbotham, Political Agent and Consul, Muscat, to the Political Resident, Bushire, dated 31 July 1939, recording a recent visit to the Sultan of Muscat [Said bin Taimur] at which the Sultan stated that he was endeavouring to regain control over Oman and mentioned his inability to develop his country due to lack of funds, whereupon discussions took place on the possible cession of Gwadar to the Government of India in return for financial assistance. Hickinbotham suggests to the Resident that there are three possible courses of action: to make a substantial financial contribution to the Sultan in return for Gwadar, to refuse further financial assistance, or to take over control of Muscat and Oman, which would, with the agreement of France, place the Sultan in the same position as the Sultan of Morocco, with the Sultan’s income controlled by the British Government, and with British and Indian forces stationed in Oman to maintain security. Further correspondence records discussions over assistance for the Sultan and the possible sale of Gwadar, September-December 1939. The final item is a memorandum by Captain Hickinbotham containing information on the geographical extent, physical features, climate and water supply, population, manufactures, communications, administration, and customs of Gwadar District; a description of Gwadar town; and notes on the British representative, with covering letter to the Resident dated 9 October 1940.Physical description: Foliation: The foliation system in use is the sequence of numbers appearing in a circle in the top right hand corner of each page. The file also bears a foliation system (uncircled) beginning at 23 (folio 2) and ending at 63 (folio 23, with a gap in the sequence after 50). In addition, some papers bear a number written in red within a red circle.
Abstract: File marked 'Confidential'. The file relates to the possible transfer of jurisdiction over Gwadar (which appears throughout in the form 'Gwadur') to Kalat State. The file includes a letter from Colonel Poulton, Ziarat, to Hugh Weightman, Secretary to the Government of India, External Affairs Department, New Delhi, dated 18 September 1946, summarising the reasons in favour of the cession of Gwadar to Kalat. A further letter from the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant Colonel William Rupert Hay), Bahrain, to Weightman, dated 1 February 1947, while stating that the retention by the Sultan of Muscat (Said bin Taimur) of Gwadar was 'somewhat of an anachronism', contains a warning that the Sultan was the sort of monarch who ‘usually clings to every inch of his territory’, and so would, in the opinion of the Resident, be unlikely to consider disposing of Gwadar, unless the Sultan’s own proposal of 1939 were to be revived and he were to be offered funds in return. The file also contains a response to this letter from the Government of India dated 18 April 1947, stating that the Government had no intention of engaging in negotiations on matters on which there seemed little prospect of a successful outcome within the limited time of [the granting of self-government to India] of 20 February 1947.Physical description: Foliation: The foliation system currently in use is the sequence of numbers appearing in a circle in the top right hand corner of each page. A second foliation system (uncircled) numbered 1-5 shows a gap in the sequence between folio 2 and folio 4.
Abstract: The file covers political, economic and general matters at Gwadar (which is referred to throughout as ‘Gwadur’). The file includes Annual Report of the British Agency, Gwadar for the year 1928, written by the British Agent, M Waris Ali, which includes sections on ancient history; area and population; main villages of the Gwadar territory; languages, religion and instruction; constitution, government and justice; British and state representatives; cases settled during the year under report; defence; passports and certificates of identity; frontier news in brief; shipping, communications and trade; foreign and inland commerce and the way in which both have contributed to bring about a destructive effect on Gwadar trade; fish trade; state customs, finance and baladiah; sanitation and doctor; climate, soil, rainfall and agriculture; production, industries and manufactures; mineralogy; slaves and their manumission; government buildings and their upkeep; government post office and telegraph office; meteorological and aeroplanes; banking and currency; weights and measures; the Anglo-Persian Oil Company; distinguished visitors to Gwadar during the year under report; archaeology; locusts; earthquakes; tides and tempests; and obituary for the late British agent, Raja Lal Khan, who had committed suicide after going insane one night as a result of ‘super abundance [sic] of passport drudgery and other work mixed with anxieties and cares’.The file also includes papers relating to communal disturbances at Gwadar between Khojas/Aga Khanis (who were British subjects) and Baluchis (subjects of the Sultan of Muscat). The troubles, which followed allegations of the defilement of a mosque with dung by Khojas, resulted in deaths of two members of the Khoja community, 1929-1932Physical description: Foliation: The foliation system in use is the sequence of numbers appearing in a circle in the top right hand corner of each page. There is also an old foliation system (not circled), numbered 1 (folio 6); then 98 (folio 103) - end of volume.