Abstract: This is a correspondence file about the operation and impact of the quota system and export licensing restrictions that were imposed by the Government of India, on the supply of Indian tea (and to a lesser extent the supply of coffee) to Bahrain and also to Eastern Saudi Arabia and Qatar, during the Second World War (1939-1945). The main official correspondents are the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Political Agent, Bahrain; the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain; the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain; the Food Controller, Bahrain; the Tea Controller for India, Calcutta; and other Government of India officials in the Departments of Commerce and External Affairs. Included in the file are various circular lists that give the names of Indian tea exporters and Bahrain tea importers, such as the monthly list of India tea quota allotments prepared by the Political Agent, Bahrain and similar lists, complied by the Director of Customs and Port Officer and the Food Controller on behalf of the Government of Bahrain.The file also contains merchants' correspondence between: Indian tea exporters and Bahrain tea importers about their shipping consignments; the Chairman of the Persian Gulf States Pool (an association of Indian tea exporters) and the Political Agent, Bahrain about the distribution of tea quotas among members of the Pool; Bahrain tea importers and the Political Agent, Bahrain about Indian tea importations allowed to be landed at Bahrain under the Government of India quota system.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 225; 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 incomplete foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 93-204; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. Pagination: the file notes at the back of the file (ff 204-224) are paginated in pencil. The original front file cover, containing the original file title and file reference number, is missing.
Abstract: This is a correspondence file about Indian tea and sugar exports to Bahrain under the quota system and the export licensing restrictions imposed by the Government of India during the Second World War (1939-1945), when essential food commodities were in short supply. The file contains the correspondence of the Political Agent, Bahrain with the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire; the British Consuls in Persia (Iran) at Bandar Abbas, Kerman and Khorramshahr (also referred to by its former name of Mohammerah); the Tea Controller for India, Calcutta; the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain and the Food Controller for the Government of Bahrain. They discuss arrangements for the importation, payment and distribution of the Indian quota tea and sugar supplies that are shipped from Bombay, landed at Bahrain and then re-exported to British Consular staff in southern Persia. The file also contains a substantial amount of merchant correspondence, mainly with Indian exporter the Poojara Trading Company, Calcutta; importer Dhamanmal Isardas and shipping agent Gray, Mackenzie & Company, both Bahrain. Included in this correspondence are invoices, debit notes and bills of lading.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 incomplete foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 2-192; these numbers are written in a combination of pencil and blue crayon/ink, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. Pagination: a short pagination sequence is also present between ff 225-245; these numbers are written in pencil, and are located in the top outermost corners of each page. Condition: the front file cover is damaged.
Abstract: This is a correspondence file about the operation and impact of the quota system and export licensing restrictions that were imposed by the Government of India, on the supply of Indian tea (and to a lesser extent the supply of coffee) to Bahrain and also to Eastern Saudi Arabia and Qatar, during the Second World War (1939-1945). The main official correspondents are the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Political Agent, Bahrain; the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain; the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain; the Food Controller, Bahrain; the Tea Controller for India, Calcutta; and other Government of India officials in the Departments of Commerce and External Affairs. Included in the file are various circular lists that give the names of Indian tea exporters and Bahrain tea importers, such as the monthly list of India tea quota allotments prepared by the Political Agent, Bahrain and similar lists, complied by the Director of Customs and Port Officer and the Food Controller on behalf of the Government of Bahrain.The file also contains merchants' correspondence between: Indian tea exporters and Bahrain tea importers about their shipping consignments; the Chairman of the Persian Gulf States Pool (an association of Indian tea exporters) and the Political Agent, Bahrain about the distribution of tea quotas among members of the Pool; Bahrain tea importers and the Political Agent, Bahrain about Indian tea importations allowed to be landed at Bahrain under the Government of India quota system.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 240; 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 176-217 with numbers sporadically appearing on other folios; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: This is a correspondence file about Indian tea exports to the Trucial Coast ports of Dubai and Sharjah under the quota system and the export licensing restrictions imposed by the Government of India during the Second World War (1939-1945), when tea and other essential commodities were in short supply. The file contains the correspondence of the Political Agent, Bahrain with the Political Officer for the Trucial Coast and the Residency Agent, Sharjah; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire and the Tea Controller for India, Calcutta. Included in the file are several circular lists compiled by the Tea Controller for India and the Political Agent, Bahrain. These lists show the tea quotas for the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms and neighbouring Arab States, the names of the Indian merchants in Calcutta and Bombay licensed to export tea to the Trucial Coast, details of shipments of tea and its distribution among Bahrain and Dubai merchants on importation.The file also contains copies of official correspondence between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and others, mainly Government of India officials in the Department of External Affairs, New Delhi. They discuss reductions in the Indian tea quotas allowed for export to the Trucial Coast for the following purposes: local consumption, re-export to neighbouring countries such as Saudi Arabia, as barter for fresh meat and other essential supplies from Iran, for consumption by the British Residency and Consulates of the Persian Gulf. The file also contains a small amount of merchant correspondence, mainly between the Chairman of the Persian Gulf States Pool (an association of Indian tea exporters), Calcutta and the Political Agent, Bahrain about the allocations of both regular quota tea and frustrated (spoiled) tea for export to the Trucial Coast.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 196; 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 2-178; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: This is a correspondence file about the operation and impact on the population and economy of Bahrain and the Trucial Coast sheikhdoms, of Government of India export licensing restrictions for the supply of tea and to a lesser extent, coffee, sugar, dates and cotton piece goods, to the Persian Gulf, during the Second World War (1939-1945). Letters, telegrams and memoranda are exchanged mainly between the Political Agent, Bahrain and the Adviser to the Bahrain Government, and also between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, the Political Agent, Bahrain and several Government of India officials, particularly the Tea Controller for India, the Export Trade and Foreign Trade Controllers in Bombay and Calcutta and other officials, mainly in the Departments of Commerce and External Affairs.The file contains numerous supply and trade statistics, mainly for tea, and in particular the regular lists compiled by the Director of Customs and Port Officer for Bahrain, acting in his wartime capacity as the Food Controller, Bahrain. His lists show the monthly distribution of licenses for the export of tea quotas, and to a lesser extent coffee, from India to Bahrain, together with the names of the Bombay exporters and the Bahrain importers for each consignment. Throughout the correspondence, British officials discuss their several enquiries into Indian tea exports to Arab countries that they suspect are re-exported or smuggled into Germany and other enemy countries. The Political Resident in the Persian Gulf also raises his concerns about the potential impact of Government of India export controls on the economy of the Arab Gulf States and shaikhdoms if he should strictly enforce them, since they would inhibit normal trade with Iran (Persia) in essential commodities subject to severe wartime shortages, such as fresh food and firewood. The file also includes numerous letters exchanged between Bahrain importers, Indian exporters and the Political Agent, Bahrain about shipments of tea and other commodities to Bahrain.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 374; 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 2-373; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: The file contains correspondence and statistics about the monitoring and maintenance of adequate supplies of quota rice, wheat, sugar and also cotton piece goods, in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, in the years following the Second World War (1939-1945). These essential commodities continued to be subject to Government of India quota arrangements and other controls imposed on trade with the Persian Gulf shaikhdoms, due to wartime shortages.The main contents of the file are the monthly stock figures sent to the Political Agent, Bahrain by the Director of Customs, Bahrain. These figures show the quantities (in tons) of Bahrain Government imports, stocks and exports (mainly to Qatar) of rice, wheat, sugar and cotton piece goods. There are similar monthly stock figures for Dubai, Sharjah and the other Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, submitted by both the Residency Agent and the Political Officer for the Trucial Coast, Sharjah. There are also file copies of the monthly consolidated stock figures sent by the Political Agent, Bahrain to the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf. Included in the file is a small amount of correspondence between the Political Agent, Bahrain and his officials at Sharjah, about wheat and sugar prices in Dubai and Sharjah, following the abolition of controls and a return to normal market conditions for these food commodities.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence 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.
Abstract: This is a correspondence file about the importation of essential food commodities and cotton piece goods from India to Bahrain and the Trucial Coast ports of Dubai and Sharjah, under the quota system and the export licensing restrictions imposed by the Government of India during the Second World War (1939-1945), due to wartime shortages. The file contains the correspondence of the Political Agent, Bahrain with the Political Officer for the Trucial Coast and the Residency Agent, both Sharjah; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire; the Director of Customs and Port Officer for the Government of Bahrain and the shipping agent Gray, Mackenzie & Company Limited, Bahrain. They exchange information about existing stock levels of imported quota foodstuffs such as rice, wheat, flour, tea, coffee and sugar, as well as cotton piece goods for clothing. They also discuss arrangements for the timely shipment and distribution of new supplies, for local consumption in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, as well as re-exportation to Saudi Arabia in exchange for other essential commodities in short supply. Included in the file are numerous lists that were regularly compiled and circulated by the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain; the Political Officer for the Trucial Coast and the Residency Agent, both Sharjah and also Gray, Mackenzie & Company Limited, acting as agent for the United Kingdom Commercial Corporation (Iraq) Limited. These lists show existing levels of essential food stocks in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, how long these were expected to last and details about shipments of new supplies from India, to maintain or replenish exhausted stocks.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 319; 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 2-299; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: This is a correspondence file about the importation of essential food commodities and cotton piece goods from India to Bahrain and the Trucial Coast ports of Dubai and Sharjah, under the quota system and the export licensing restrictions imposed by the Government of India during the Second World War (1939-1945), due to wartime shortages. The file contains the correspondence of the Political Agent, Bahrain with the Political Officer for the Trucial Coast and the Residency Agent, both Sharjah; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire; the Director of Customs and Port Officer for the Government of Bahrain and the shipping agent Gray, Mackenzie & Company Limited, Bahrain. They exchange information about existing stock levels of imported quota foodstuffs such as rice, wheat, flour, tea, coffee and sugar, as well as cotton piece goods for clothing. They also discuss arrangements for the timely shipment and distribution of new supplies, for local consumption in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, as well as re-exportation to Saudi Arabia in exchange for other essential commodities in short supply. Included in the file are numerous lists that were regularly compiled and circulated by the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain; the Political Officer for the Trucial Coast and the Residency Agent, both Sharjah and also Gray, Mackenzie & Company Limited, acting as agent for the United Kingdom Commercial Corporation (Iraq) Limited. These lists show existing levels of essential food stocks in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, how long these were expected to last and details about shipments of new supplies from India, to maintain or replenish exhausted stocks.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 210; 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 2-194; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. Condition: the back file cover is lacking.
Abstract: The file contains correspondence and statistics about the monitoring and maintenance of adequate supplies of quota rice, cereals such as wheat and barley, sugar, tea and also cotton piece goods, in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, in the years following the Second World War (1939-1945). These essential commodities continued to be subject to Government of India quota arrangements and other controls imposed on trade with the Persian Gulf shaikhdoms, due to wartime shortages.The main contents of the file are the monthly stock figures sent to the Political Agent, Bahrain by the Director of Customs, Bahrain. These figures show the quantities (in tons) of Bahrain Government imports, stocks and exports (mainly to Qatar) of cereals, tea, sugar and cotton piece goods. There are similar monthly stock figures for Dubai, Sharjah and the other Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, including separate figures for private importations of barley, submitted by both the Residency Agent and the Political Officer for the Trucial Coast, Sharjah. There are also file copies of the monthly consolidated stock figures sent by the Political Agent, Bahrain to the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, together with his recommendations for reducing imports of quota wheat to Bahrain and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, based on increased supplies of imported rice. There are similar monthly consolidated stock figures from the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to the British Supply Mission (Middle East), Cairo (formerly the Middle East Supply Centre). These show the cereal stocks position in Bahrain, Kuwait, Muscat and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms.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 237; 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 2-108; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: The file contains correspondence about arrangements for the purchase and shipping of rice imports mainly from African and South American countries, for consumption in Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai, Sharjah and other Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, where rice and other cereals continued to be in scarce supply after the Second World War (1939-1945). The file consists mainly of letters from Bahrain and Dubai merchants, or from the Imperial Bank of Iran and the Eastern Bank Limited on their behalf, also from the local manager of the Petroleum Development (Qatar) Limited on behalf of oil company personnel, asking the Political Agent, Bahrain to permit them foreign currency exchange facilities for the purchase of rice from Brazil and other non-Sterling countries. Also included in the file are the Political Agent’s responses, including importation recommendation certificates and letters to their banks, approving the release of sterling for the opening of letters of credit and hard currency payments to exporters.The file also contains the successful bids made to the International Emergency Food Committee (IEFC), Washington by the British Government on behalf of Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai and the other Trucial Coast shaikhdoms, for a share in the 1949 Middle East rice allocations. In relation to this matter there is the correspondence of the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and the Political Agent, Bahrain with the Rulers of Bahrain, Qatar and Dubai and also with British officials at the Ministry of Food and the Foreign Office in London. In this correspondence, they discuss reducing existing wheat quota imports for Bahrain, Qatar and the Trucial Coast shaikhdoms in favour of increased rice quota imports, the arrangements for the local storage and stock management of the IEFC allocated Egyptian rice by British Ministry of Food officials in Cairo, the appointment of approved purchasing and shipping agents by the Bahrain and Dubai authorities to act for them and for their merchants with regard to orders, payments and deliveries of the IEFC allocated Egyptian quota rice by sea to Bahrain, Qatar and Dubai.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 360; 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.
Abstract: The file contains correspondence about British efforts to obtain supplies of rice for local consumption in the Persian Gulf shaikhdoms, particularly Bahrain, Qatar and the shaikhdoms of the Trucial Coast, in the years after the Second World War (1939-1945). British and Bahrain Government officials disseminate details about offers of rice from the Government of Pakistan and also the allocation of Egyptian quota import rice from British Ministry of Food rice stores in Egypt. There is also extensive correspondence between the Political Agent, Bahrain and the Political Officer for Qatar at Doha, about a prolonged dispute between Qatari and Bahraini merchants over the delayed transhipment of Egyptian quota import rice for Qatar, which had been landed at Bahrain.The main correspondents are the Political Agent and the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, both Bahrain; the Political Officers for Qatar and the Trucial Coast; the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain and the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain. The file also contains copy correspondence between Foreign Office and Ministry of Food officials in London about the latter’s decision to no longer procure rice from the Egyptian authorities for allocation to the Persian Gulf shaikhdoms after 1950, given the proposed winding up of the International Emergency Food Committee (IEFC) allocation system at the end of 1950.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 97; 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 2-95; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.
Abstract: The file contains letters and telegrams about the efforts made to obtain supplies of rice for consumption in the Persian Gulf shaikhdoms, particularly Bahrain and Dubai. British officials in the Middle East and Bahrain Government officials discuss the procurement of rice surpluses from Iraq and Persia (Iran) and also mention wheat supplies from Australia and the United States. Rice was one of several essential food commodities in acute short supply in India and the Persian Gulf countries during the Second World War (1939-1945) and subject to Government of India quota arrangements and other export and import controls.The main correspondents are the Political Agent, Bahrain; the Political Officer for the Trucial Coast, Sharjah; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire; the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain and Middle East Supply Centre representatives in Baghdad, Cairo and Tehran.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1; and terminates at the back with 213; 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 2-90 and ff 169-199; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.Pagination: the index section (ff 200-212) has been paginated using pencil; these numbers are located in the top outermost corners of each page.