Abstract: The file contains correspondence and papers related to negotiations between the British Government and the Government of Saudi Arabia for the establishment of emergency landing grounds along the Hasa Coast, and proposed arrangements for their maintenance. The intention was that these facilities would be used by aircraft of the Royal Air Force (RAF) or Imperial Airways in the event of an emergency. It further covers measures to be taken to prevent the intrusion of British aircraft into Saudi territory during the progress of negotiations.Also briefly covered in the file is a visit by Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] to the Netherlands in 1935 (see folios 26-71) and the attitude of the Saudis to foreign aircraft flying over their territory (see folios 3-21).The main correspondents are as follows: HM Minister at Jeddah (Sir Andrew Ryan), officials of the Foreign Office (mainly George William Rendel), and officials of the Air Ministry (mainly James Stirling Ross). The negotiations are primarily undertaken through Fuad Bey Hamza and Shaikh Yusuf Yasin.Prior to 1932, Saudi Arabia was known as the Kingdoms of Hejaz and Nejd, and this is reflected in the file.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 commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 282; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. Bookmarks are present on the verso side of f 41 and f 272; these have been labelled with an ‘a’.
Abstract: The volume is concerned with proposals for the development of air services to, from, and across Afghanistan. In particular, proposals from the German firm Junkers for an air service from Persia, and Russian proposals for an air bridge across Afghanistan, for the purpose of delivering mail between India and Europe. It also includes discussion as to the feasibility and desirability of a counter British service from India to Afghanistan; this includes examination of who could provide this service, proposed service frequency, the types of aircraft that could be used, and expense estimates. The file also contains comparisons between the proposed Russian air bridge and existing Imperial Airways services between the United Kingdom (UK) and India to judge the commercial viability of the new service. To a lesser extent, the file also contains details of a gift of rifles and ammunition from the Government of India to the Government of Afghanistan.The focus of discussion is Britain's desire to limit the encroachment of foreign (i.e. non British) companies towards the frontier of her Indian Empire; in particular British officials are concerned with limiting the development of services by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The financial problems of the Government of India also factor into this discussion, as an issue preventing the provision of a British service. The file therefore contains a number of notes — or aide memoirs — of a number of meetings held by HM Minister at Kabul with either the King of Afghanistan (Mohammad Nadir Shah) or his Foreign Minister. The volume also contains some discussion of the legal status of the North West Frontier under the International Air Convention, and the extent the Government of India can maintain its status as a prohibited area following the advent of civil air services.The French content consists of a short extract on folio 128 from the International Postal Convention. The volume also contains an extract from Jane's
All the World's Aircraft, 1929on folios 421-2, an extract from
The Timeson folio 346, and a copy of Imperial Airway's winter 1931-2 timetable on folios 76-7.The main correspondents are as follows: HM Minister at Kabul (Richard Roy Maconachie), officials of the Air Ministry, officials of the India Office, officials of the General Post Office, and representatives of the Foreign Department of the Government of India.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 commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 454; 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 and related papers concerning the development of civil aviation in Persia (referred to as Iran from 1935), its primary focus being the activities of the German company Junkers. The file covers negotiations surrounding the grant of a five year concession to Junkers in 1927 for the provision of internal air services within Persia, and the failed negotiations surrounding an attempt by the Company to renew the agreement in 1932. It therefore also contains correspondence about the subsequent withdrawal of Junkers from Persia, and subsequent attempts by Luft Hansa to replace Junkers. Correspondence in the file also discusses a proposal from Imperial Airways to establish a Trans-Persian route between the United Kingdom (UK) and India; this is mainly related to whether the experience of Junkers should be allowed to discourage this proposal.To a lesser extent the file also covers the establishment of air mail and passenger services between Tehran and Baghdad; this ranges from a initial proposal from Airworks Limited in 1932 to the eventual establishment of a service by Iranian State Airways in 1938. Also briefly discussed is a proposal — briefly advanced by the North West Indian Trading Company — from Captain Louis Murphy in 1926 for the establishment of an air service between Duzdap [Zahedan] and Meshed [Mashhad]: see folios 155-9.The French content includes a draft contract between the Government of Persia and Junkers dated June 1925 (see folios 205-16), a copy of the final contract (see folios 139v-143) dated 9 February 1926, and a copy of a notice on changes to Junkers' Persian air services dated 17 October 1931. Occasional extracts can also be found in French.The main correspondents are as follows: HM Minister at Tehran, officials of the Air Ministry, and officials of the Foreign Office. The correspondence is periodically forwarded to the Under-Secretary of State for India by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.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 commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 285; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top centre of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: The file contains correspondence relating to the efforts of the British Government to negotiate a renewal of Imperial Airways' concession to operate its United Kingdom (UK) to India international service over Southern Persia; the concession being due to expire in 1932. The file also covers the subsequent decision to abandon the South Persian route for an alternative along the coast of Arabia, and a request for a temporary permit from the Persian Government to fly via Persia during the transition. In connection with these topics, there is some discussion between British officials over Persia's obligations under the International Air Convention (or the Paris Convention, 1919), mainly with regard to the extent that Persia can object to foreign aircraft flying over its territory. The unsuitability of a route proposed by the Persian Government through Central Persia is also discussed.Other topics covered to a lesser extent include: the question of the extent to which British aircraft have a right of passage over Persian territorial waters following the withdrawal of Imperial Airways (see folios 3-24), a proposal to request access to the Jask Aerodrome for Imperial Airways in an emergency (see folios 25-35), and a proposal from Imperial Airways to establish a landing ground at Shenast near Lingah [Bandar-e-Lengeh].The file also contains two pages extracted from two – 8 and 22 October 1931 – separate issues of
The Near East and India; see folios 174-5. A couple of Parliamentary Notices can also be found within the file; see folios 46 and 50.The main correspondents are HM Minister at Tehran (Reginald Hervey Hoare) and officials of the Foreign Office. The file also contains some correspondence with the Persian Foreign Minister (Mirza Mohammed Ali Khan and Miraz Musa Khan Noury Esfandiary), representatives of Imperial Airways and Airworks Limited (Alan Muntz and George Edward Woods), and officials of the Air Ministry. The correspondence is periodically forwarded to the Under-Secretary of State for India by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.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 commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at last folio with 176; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.