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1. 'VOL. B. 60. CONFIDENTIAL 86/14 - vi. BAHRAIN UNALLOTTED AREA.'
- Description:
- Abstract: The volume comprises correspondence between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Charles Geoffrey Prior), the Political Agent at Bahrain (Hugh Weightman, Reginald George Evelin Alban), the India Office (Roland Tennyson Peel, John Percival Gibson), the Admiralty (Clifford George Jarrett), the Shaikh of Bahrain (Shaikh Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah), and the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Hamilton R Ballantyne) and discusses the conclusion of negotiations in London for a political agreement to accompany the concession secured by the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) from the Shaikh of Bahrain for the unalloted area of Bahrain.The correspondence focuses primarily on the question of whether a pre-emption clause is required in the political agreement or whether a force majeure clause would be an acceptable alternative given His Majesty’s Government’s likely need for oil in wartime and other emergencies. The negotiations were concluded in June 1941 with the concession agreement being signed in Bahrain 19 June 1941 and the Political Agreement signed in London 29 June 1941.Other correspondence discusses a request made by the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) to accelerate their exploration work in the Unallotted area of Bahrain and the need for a final settlement of the terms of both the concession agreement and political agreement in order to support the company’s acceleration proposal.Also discussed is the drilling work undertaken by BAPCO in order to obtain structural information on their newly acquired concession area. The drilling work undertaken had also succeeded in finding drinking water on Fasht al Jibal [Fasht ad Dībal] and their intention to drill on Hawar Island included the intention to create water wells should drinking water be found there too. The correspondence concludes with the decision taken by BAPCO in 1941 to suspend their exploration work in new areas owing to a lack of available labour and to concentrate instead on their existing production and refining activities.Another topic under discussion in the volume is the question of the ownership of the Hawar Group of Islands with His Majesty’s Government reaching a decision in August 1939 that the Hawar Group of Islands belonged to Bahrain and not Qatar. Correspondence includes the Shaikh of Qatar (Shaikh ‘Abdullāh bin Jāsim Āl Thānī)’s dissatisfaction at the outcome.Later correspondence from 1941 includes the Political Agent at Bahrain and the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf expressing their concerns over the decision that was reached and suggesting that the evidence be reconsidered and an expert in that area such as Sir Clive Kirkpatrick Daly be consulted for his opinion on the question.As part of the discussions a request is made to the Air Vice-Marshall, Commanding British Forces in Iraq for a photographic mosaic to be taken of the Hawar Group of Islands. The mosaic was required in order to determine a line of division between the territorial rights of Bahrain and Qatar.Also discussed was the question of ownership of the island of Fasht Dibal [Fasht ad Dībal], which was at that time claimed by Bahrain; regarding the Political Resident’s scepticism regarding the validity of Bahrain’s claim and the question of whether the Shaikh of Qatar should be given the opportunity to put forward any claim he had towards the island.One other matter of note within the volume relates to reports and rumours of attempts by Turkish officials at Hasa to secure their authority over the district they controlled. These attempts were alleged to include Turkish officials visiting Zakhnuniya Island [Jazirat az Zakhnūnīyah] to try and convince the Dowasir tribe there to swear allegiance to Turkey; it is claimed their intention was to take control of Dohah [Doha], and perhaps the whole Katar [Qatar] peninsula from the Shaikh of Qatar. The alleged movements of Turkish officials on Zakhnuniya Island resulted in an official protest being made by the Shaikh of Bahrain who considered the island to be part of his territory.A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 214-227.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside of 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 in parallel between ff 188-227; these numbers are also written in pencil, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence, but they are not circled. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
2. 'File 38/11 P. C. L. Planes'
- Description:
- Abstract: The file contains correspondence relating to the movement of company (Petroleum Concessions Limited) planes in the Persian Gulf. The main correspondents are: representatives of Petroleum Concessions Limited and its subsidiary companies (Petroleum Development (Qatar) Limited and Petroleum Development (Oman and Dhofar) Limited); the Political Agent at Bahrain; the Political Residency at Bushire (later Bahrain) [Persian Gulf Political Residency]; Sir Charles Belgrave, Advisor to the Shaikh of Bahrain; the India Office; the Air Vice-Marshal, Commanding British Forces in Iraq; the Government of India, External Affairs Department; Shaikh Abdullah bin Qasim al Thani [‘Abdullāh bin Qāsim Āl Thānī], ruler of Qatar; Shaikh Sultan bin Saqr [Sulṭān bin Saqr Āl Qāsimī], ruler of Sharjah; Shaikh Said bin Maktum [Sa‘īd bin Maktūm Āl Maktūm], ruler of Dubai; and the Political Agent at Muscat.The papers within the file are mostly concerned with permission for landings and flyovers by company planes in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Sharjah, Dubai, and Oman. These permissions are sought by the company from the appropriate ruler (as sovereign) and the RAF (for use of the airfields), via the appropriate British Government officer (in this case, the Political Agent at Bahrain). The permissions sometimes include details of the planes, such as name, registration, passengers, pilot, engineers, and wireless operators.Other matters covered by the file include:the distribution by the company of their own aviation fuel to aerodromes across the region;the planning and permission of an aerial photographic survey of Qatar and its territorial waters carried out by the company in early 1947.There is a gap in the correspondence between 1939 and 1945, due to the Second World War.Folio 123 is a sketch map of southern Qatar, showing the limits of the proposed aerial survey.Folios 159-68 are internal office notes.Physical description: The file is arranged chronologically.
3. 'File 1/A/38 III Negotiations with Bin Saud re: Eastern Boundary of Saudi Arabia.'
- Description:
- Abstract: The volume concerns negotiations between the British and Saudi Arabian governments over the definition of the eastern boundary of Saudi Arabia, particularly the border with Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The King of Saudi Arabia is commonly referred to in the papers as Bin Saud or Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd]. The need to establish a definite border was increased by the discovery of oil in the area.The principal correspondents are the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle); the Political Agent, Bahrain (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch); HM Chargé d'Affaires, Jeddah (Andrew Spencer Calvert); HM Minister, Jedda [Jeddah] (Sir Andrew Ryan); the Secretary of State for India; the Government of India, and the Foreign Office.The volume includes: papers (folios 18-28, 32-33) concerning an aerial reconnaissance of the Qatar Peninsula, undertaken by the Royal Air Force and accompanied by the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Loch, acting), including a chart showing tracks and positions (folio 21) and seven aerial photographs (folios 22-28), October 1935; notes by Haji Abdullah Fadhil Williamson on Abu Dhabi territory and boundaries 'given by the Al Bu Fallah Shaikhs and also the Manasir', November 1935 (folios 120-122); Sir Andrew Ryan's account of his journey across Arabia, December 1935 (folios 159-167), and record of his conversations at Riyadh with the Saudi Arabian Government, December 1935 (folios 168-193); and discussions concerning Bin Saud's claim to Jabal Naksh in Qatar, January 1936 (folios 202-224).The Arabic language content of the file is restricted to about ten folios of correspondence, mainly between Gulf rulers and the Political Agent, Bahrain.The date range gives the covering dates of the main items of correspondence; the earliest document is an enclosure to the first item of correspondence, dated 17 October 1935, and the last dated addition to the file is an entry in the notes dated 15 February [1936].Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 248; 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.
4. 'File 35/1 Aerial Photographic Survey of the Bahrain Islands (g. of I.)'
- Description:
- Abstract: The file contains correspondence regarding producing an up to date map of the Bahrain Islands. The correspondence discusses easing the job of Lieutenant D W Price, the Survey Officer who will be sent by the Royal Air Force (RAF) to carry out an aerial survey. The Standard Oil Company of California and the Bahrain Petroleum Company Limited (BAPCO) are asked to share their data especially fixes and heights with the Survey Officer.The correspondence is mainly between Air Headquarters of British Forces in Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel Percy Gordon Loch, Political Agent in Bahrain, Lieutenant Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, and G W R Smith the Chief Local Representative of the Bahrain Petroleum Company Limited.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 22; 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 in parallel between ff 4-18; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.
5. 'File 6/11 Air photographs of Kuwait and Aerial Reconnaissance'
- Description:
- Abstract: This file contains permissions and correspondence pertaining to aerial photography of the territory of Kuwait.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 16; 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 in parallel between ff 1-15; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
6. Coll 6/67(3) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.'
- Description:
- Abstract: This volume primarily concerns British policy regarding the south-eastern boundaries of Saudi Arabia, specifically those bordering Qatar, the Trucial Shaikhdoms, Muscat, the Hadramaut and the Aden Protectorate.It includes interdepartmental discussion regarding the approach that the British Government should take in reaching a settlement with King Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] over the demarcation of the boundaries.References are made to various existing and proposed lines, including the 'blue line' and the 'violet line' – boundary lines that formed part of the Anglo-Ottoman Conventions, concluded in 1913 and 1914 respectively, a 'green line' and a 'brown line', which represent more recent territorial concessions proposed by the British to Ibn Saud, and a 'red line', which is referred to as the Saudi Government's claim for its country's south-eastern boundary.The volume features the following principal correspondents: the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle); the Political Agent, Bahrain (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch); His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan); the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Samuel Hoare); the Acting Chief Commissioner, Aden (Lieutenant-Colonel Morice Challoner Lake); officials of the Colonial Office, the Foreign Office, the India Office, the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department.The correspondence includes discussion of the following:The extent of territory that the British should be prepared to include in any concession made to Ibn Saud.The abandonment of the idea of a proposed 'desert zone'.The future of the Treaty of Jedda of 1927.Meetings held at the Foreign Office with Fuad Bey Hamza, Deputy Saudi Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Hafiz Wahba, Saudi Arabian Minister in London, during June and July 1935.The eastern boundary of the Aden Protectorate.The possibility of the British Government employing Bertram Thomas to carry out enquiries and investigations regarding the question of Saudi Arabia's south-eastern frontiers.Wells and territories of the Al Murra [Āl Murrah] tribe.Preparations for Sir Andrew Ryan's forthcoming visit to Riyadh for negotiations with Ibn Saud.Abu Dhabi's claim to Khor-al-Odeid [Khawr al ‘Udayd].Details of a British aerial reconnaissance of the Qatar Peninsula, which took place on 11 October 1935.In addition to correspondence the volume includes the following: copies of the minutes of meetings of the Committee of Imperial Defence's Standing Ministerial and Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East, dated 15 April 1935 and 24 September 1935 respectively; photographs of the Qatar Peninsula, taken during the aforementioned aerial reconnaissance; a map showing the route of the aerial reconnaissance.The volume includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence (folio 4).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 411; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers.