Abstract: The file contains a copy of a letter sent by the British Resident in the Persian Gulf to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, regarding the date trade in Muscat. The letter encloses copies of letters forwarded by the Political Agent at Muscat on the cultivation of dates in the Persian Gulf, including a section of the report written by Mr Dawson of Basra 'on the Fauna, Flora and Geology of the parts of the Batinah visited by him in 1927' (folios 12-22).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 23; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Residency and Maskat [Muscat] Political Agency for 1894-95, published by the Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India (Calcutta), forming part of Selections from the Records of the Government of India, Foreign Department, and based on reports sent to Government by the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and the Political Agent at Muscat.The report is divided up into a number of sections and subsections, as follows:Part 1,is a general summary (folios 62-65v) written by Colonel Frederick Alexander Wilson, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf. The summary gives an outline of regional developments during the previous year and is divided up as follows:1. Oman-Maskat Coast2. Oman Pirate Coast3. Bahrein [Bahrain]4. Nejd5. El Hasa [Al Hasa] and Ojair ['Uqayr]6. El Katif [Al Qatif]7. El Katr [Qatar]8. Persian Arabistan9. Fars and Persian Coast10. Persian Baluchistan and Mekran11. Slave Trade12. Royal Navy Vessels13. ObservatoryAppendix A to Part 1 (folio 66) contains two tables; 1) Table showing force and prevailing directions of Winds and recorded Rainfall at Bushire for the year 1894-95 & 2) Abstract of Meteorological Observations for the year ending 31st March 1895 taken at the Residency Observatory. Bushire.Part 2,is an Administration Report on the Maskat Political Agency and Consulate for the year 1894-95 (folios 67-69) written by Lieutenant John Frederick Whyte, Political Agent and Consul, Maskat. The report provides a summary of political and military developments in Maskat throughout the previous year.Part 3,is a report on the Trade and Commerce of the Consular District of Bushire for the Year 1894 (folios 70-72) written by Colonel Frederick Alexander Wilson, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf. The report contains a summary of matters related to trade in the region and a description of imports to/exports from Persia. Appendix A to part 3 (folios 73-80v) contains 25 tabular statistics tables related to trade in the region.Part 4, is a Trade Report of Maskat (folios 81-86) written by Lieutenant John Frederick Whyte, Political Agent and Consul, Maskat. The report contains a number of tabular statistics tables related to trade to/from Maskat.Part 5,is a Trade Report of Mohammerah for the Year 1894 (folios 87-88) written by W McDouall, Vice-Consul, Mohammerah [Khorramshahr]. Part 5 contains the following appendices: A) A series of tabular statistics tables related to trade to/from Mohammerah (folios 88v-90) and B) a note on the Conditions of Date Cultivation in Persian Arabia (folio 90v).Physical description: Foliation: There is a foliation sequence, which is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto of each folio. It begins on the first folio, on number 60, and ends on the last folio, on number 90.Pagination: The volume contains an original typed pagination sequence.
Abstract: The file contains correspondence about a British Ministry of Food scheme in 1944 for ensuring a controlled supply of Iraqi dates at reasonable prices to the Persian Gulf shaikhdoms during the Second World War (1939-1945), because local date crops were insufficient and imported dates were subject to wartime quota arrangements. Included in the file is a comprehensive memorandum written by the British Ministry of Food Dried Fruits Division in Wales in 1944, describing in detail the Ministry’s wartime scheme for the central purchase and coordinated distribution of Iraqi dates throughout the Middle East, India and Africa, following the short Iraqi date crop of 1942. There is also correspondence between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire and the India Office in London in 1944, about the merits of the British governmental central purchasing scheme for Iraqi dates, for keeping prices down, preventing wartime profiteering, ensuring fair distribution and discouraging the sale of smuggled Iraqi (and Persian) dates in Persian Gulf ports. These concerns are discussed repeatedly in correspondence throughout the file.In 1944, the Political Agent, Bahrain discusses in detail with the Political Resident and other British officials in Sharjah, as well as the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain, why the Sheikhs of Bahrain, Qatar and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms of Dubai and Sharjah prefer to use their own commercial agents and local merchants for the procurement of their respective allocations of quota imports of Iraqi dates, rather than as hitherto, the British company Andrew Weir of Basra (appointed Crown purchasing agents in the Middle East). From May 1945 onwards, their official discussions focus on gathering information about the annual requirements for dates in the Persian Gulf shaikhdoms in the current year, as well as the total number and quantity of their current date exports and imports, in preparation for the gradual relaxation of Government of India wartime trade restrictions on the export and import of dates by Bahrain and the other Persian Gulf shaikhdoms under British protection, with Iraq, Saudi Arabia and India.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 94; 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 2-93; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.
Abstract: The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, and notes, relating to the:Shaikh of Kuwait's date gardens on the Shatt al-`ArabTurkish demand that Kuwaitis should take out Turkish Nationality Certificatesregistration of Shaikh Mubarak's property at Faddaghiyaoffer of a cash salary to Shaikh of Kuwait as QaimaqamThe principal correspondents in the volume include the Political Agent, Kuwait, Stuart George Knox; the Ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Mubarak al Sabah; and the Political Resident in Turkish Arabia, John Gordon Lorimer.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 309; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located at the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-308; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
Abstract: The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, and notes, relating to three main topics.The first main topic discussed is the Shaikh of Kuwait's date gardens on the Shatt al-Arab (ff 3-162). The discussion in the volume relates to the Shaikh's concern about the repair of embankments and the actions of Turkish soldiers in dismantling the embankments in proximity to their fort. Included in the volume is a hand-drawn plan (folio 135) of the fort, garden, embankments and marshlands in relation to the Shatt al Arab waterway.The second main topic discussed is registration of Shaikh Mubarak's property at Faddaghiya (ff 163-311). The volume includes the Arabic version with English translation (ff 165-182) of the preliminary agreement between Shaikh Mubarak al-Sabah and Abdul Wahab bin Qirtass concerning 'the property known as Fadhagiya' as well as the final deed relating to the purchase. Also included is an Arabic copy (folio 251) of 'receipts passed for land revenue paid by Shaikh Mubarak on his Faddaghiya estate'.The third main topic discussed is the dismissal of the Mudir of Fao for overstepping his authority.The principal correspondents in the volume include the Political Agent, Kuwait (Stuart George Knox; William Henry Irvine Shakespear); the Political Resident in Persian Gulf (Percy Zachariah Cox); the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department (Sir Louis Dane); the First Assistant Resident, Bushire; HBM's Consul at Basrah; and the Ruler of Kuwait (Shaikh Mubarak bin Sabah al-Sabah).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 340; 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.Pagination: the file also contains a hand written pagination sequence (ff 3-339).
Abstract: This file concerns zakat revenue from date cultivation in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman. It discusses the findings of a recent assessment of the Sultanate's date producing districts, which was undertaken by the Political Agent and Consul at Muscat, Captain Reginald George Evelyn William Alban. The two other correspondents besides Alban are the following: the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle; the Foreign Secretary to the Government of India.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 7; 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 a British Government report (folios 1-19) regarding promises made by the British in 1914 to the rulers of Kuwait and Mohammerah concerning their ownership of date gardens in Iraq.The report contains a description of the situation and the legal opinion of T W H Inskip and F B Merriman, Law Officers of the Crown. The report includes an appendix containing copies of a number of relevant memorandums and letters.The file also contains an undated report (folios 20-35) entitled 'The Date Gardens in Iraq of the Sheikhs of Koweit and Mohammerah' that provides a detailed historical summary of the case.Physical description: Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the first folio of the former and terminates at the last folio of the latter; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: Each section of the file also contains an original and distinct pagination sequence.
Abstract: The file is concerned with the supply of dates to the Persian Gulf States – Bahrain, Kuwait, and the Trucial Coast – via a co-ordinated purchasing scheme in Iraq operated by the Ministry of Food through their agents Andrew Weir and Company.The main correspondents are as follows: the Persian Gulf Political Resident (Sir Charles Geoffrey Prior), officials of the India Office, officials of the Middle Eastern Supply Centre, officials of the Ministry of Food, officials of the Ministry for War Transport, and occasionally representatives 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 for this description commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 113; 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 consists of correspondence concerning the cultivation of and trade in dates in Oman. The principal correspondents are the Government of India (Foreign and Political Department), India Office, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, and the Political Agency in Muscat. The following is contained within the file:Correspondence between Valentine Hugh Wilfred Dowson, date expert and representative of the Hills Brothers Company in Basra, Iraq, Charles Wills, representative of the Mesopotamia Persia Corporation, the Political Resident, Muscat Political Agent, and the Department of Overseas Trade regarding the possibilities of expanding the cultivation of and trade in dates in Oman. Included is an extract of a report by Dowson on date cultivation in Oman (folios 33-44).Correspondence regarding the high customs tariff on Omani date exports imposed by India and the agreement to lower it during 1933 and their unwillingness to do so again in 1938Correspondence between the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Government of India regarding the embargo on date and pearl imports into India from the Persian Gulf in 1947.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 46; 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.