Abstract: The file contains telegrams and memoranda concerning the administration of local resources in Mesopotamia by the British military authorities, 1917-19.The main correspondents are: the War Office; Commander-in-Chief (C in C), India; and General Officer Commanding (GOC), Mesopotamia.Subjects covered include: irrigation; farming and food supply arrangements for the local population; enhancing the navigability of the River Euphrates; the dredging of Hammar lake; local production of agricultural resources for military needs; railways; river transport; shipping; the question of the rank and grading to be accorded to the Director of Local Resources, Mesopotamia; extent of cultivated areas; the formation of the Irrigation Directorate; agricultural machinery; agricultural development; the cost to the Government of India of the economic development of Mesopotamia (folio 36); the creation and staffing of the Directorate of Agriculture; dairies and grass farms; military stores; and the appointment of military engineers.Marked 'Secret' and 'Please return to Room 164 Military Dept. India Office.'.There is only one item of correspondence dated 1916. The papers are mainly dated 1917-19.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 98; 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 mixed foliation/pagination sequence is also present between ff 2-97; these numbers are written in blue crayon.
Abstract: The volume contains a chronological list of brief summaries of papers relating to the activities of the Indian Expeditionary Force D (also known as the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force) between 1 and 15 November 1917. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, letters, reports, and tables.The volume concerns:Military personnel issues, including: recruitment; promotions; appointment of officers; and creation of new units for service in MesopotamiaReinforcements for Force D, including cavalry, field ambulances, veterinary officers, and equipment mulesReturns of sick and woundedSupplies sent to Force DEquipment of newly arrived reinforcements, including troops arriving with unserviceable equipmentCommissioning and construction of ships for military useIntelligence concerning the activities of the Turkish [Ottoman] and German militaries, including: the location of Turkish and German units, the formation of assault battalions in the Turkish Army, changes in the Turkish command structure, and a visit by Enver Pasha [Enver Pāshā] to Turkish troops on the Caucasus frontPotential movement of German aviation units to MesopotamiaBritish aerial bombardments of Turkish camps at Fathah [Al-Fathah]Intelligence regarding number of Turkish aircraft in service in MesopotamiaIntelligence received from German military documents concerning the use of gas bombardmentThe sentencing of twenty-two Indian subjects captured in Baghdad and found guilty of ‘opposing the British or Russian forces in one capacity or another’Matters related to the death of Lieutenant-General Maude, including: Maude’s contraction of cholera; death on 18 November 1917; appointment of Lieutenant-General Marshall as commander of Force D on 21 November 1917Relations between the British and various Arab tribal leaders in MesopotamiaCommentary on the strategic situation across the Middle East, including: suggestions that the Turkish Army will not attempt an offensive in Mesopotamia until spring 1918; speculation on a separate Russian peace with the Central Powers; attempts by the Central Powers to intervene in Persia [Iran]Plans for the construction and staffing of a flour mill at BaghdadProgress of railway construction in MesopotamiaTemporary placement of Russian units under British commandPresence of a Russian ‘partisan’ detachment at Mendali [Mandali, Iraq]Impact of ‘Bolsheviks obtaining control of Railways at Baku’Events in Persia, including: the formation of a new government; escape of German soldiers captured by Persian authorities in Turshiz [Kashmar]; British support for the establishment of ‘a really friendly Government’ in Tehran; and intelligence of the ‘Persian democrat’ Sulieman Mirza [Sulaymān Mīrzā] conducting espionage on behalf of the Germans.The volume also contains:Number of pilots, balloon officers, and aircraft available for service in Mesopotamia as of 15 November 1917 (f 7), 22 November 1917 (f 87), 29 November 1917 (f 200)Strength report for Force D as of 6 October 1917 (ff 18-19), 13 October 1917 (ff 53-55), 20 October 1917 (ff 133-134), 29 September 1917 (ff 179-197)Ration strength of Force D as of 27 October 1917 (ff 19-22), 17 November 1917 (ff 44), 13 October 1917 (ff 77-80), 3 November 1917 (ff 93-95), 24 November 1917 (f 123), 20 October 1917 (ff 134-138), 10 November 1917 (ff 164-166), 27 October 1917 (ff 167-171)Distribution of Force D dated 4 November 1917 (ff 159-163)Distribution of the Turkish Army dated 20 November 1917 (ff 48-50), 27 November 1917 (ff 142-144)Weekly returns of sick and wounded dated 3 November 1917 (ff 43-44), 10 November 1917 (f 92)State of Force D’s supplies measured in days’ consumption on 17 November 1917 (ff 86-87), 24 November 1917 (ff 149-150, ff 198-199).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 203; 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 3-201; these numbers are printed and are located in the bottom centre of the recto side of each folio.Dimensions: 21 x 33cm.
Abstract: The volume contains a chronological list of brief summaries of papers relating to the activities of the Indian Expeditionary Force D (also known as the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force) between 15 and 28 February 1918. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, tables, memoranda, and letters.An index to the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3293. The volume concerns:Military personnel issues, including: recruitment, reinforcements, and promotionsThe supply of food, construction materials, oil, ordnance, and other items to Force DShortages of copper, brass, and iron in IndiaRiver and road traffic in MesopotamiaEvacuation of sick and wounded Force D soldiersAttitudes of the residents of Basrah [Basra] to British occupationApproval of a scheme to dredge Lake HammarBritish aerial bombardment of enemy camps near HitArrest of Sulaiman Mirza [Sulaymān Mīrzā] by British troops near Khanikin [Khanaqin]Movement of Turkish [Ottoman], Austrian, and German military unitsConversion of Mesopotamian river fleet and railways to use oil instead of coalProposal for Force D to adopt a ‘purely defensive role’ in Mesopotamia and support the British offensive in PalestineConstruction of telegraph lines and railways in Mesopotamia and Persia [Iran]Location and number of prisoners of war captured by the Russian ArmyMatters relating to Dunsterforce, including: departure of officers, soldiers, and motor vehicles from Baghdad to join Dunsterforce; retreat of Dunsterforce to Hamadan due to Bolshevik and Jangali [Jangalī] opposition; and proposals for British military action against the Jangali forces in GilanProposed occupation of key roads in Persia by British troopsNegotiations between British representatives and the Persian GovernmentEfforts by the British to ‘secure co-operation between Kurds and Armenians’ in PersiaReports of ‘disorders and small massacres’ between Muslims and Armenians in the Caucasus, and Armenian concerns about imminent ‘massacres on a large scale’.The volume also contains:Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of: lines of communication; and general organisation (ff 171-176)Strength return of Force D on 1 December 1917 (ff 136-142), 8 December 1917 (ff 145-151), 15 December 1917 (ff 206-213), 5 January 1918 (ff 6-8), 12 January 1918 (ff 16-18), 19 January 1918 (ff 48-50), 26 January 1918 (ff 155-156)Report of number of pilots, balloon officers, and aircraft available for service in Mesopotamia, 14 February 1918 (f 11), 21 February 1918 (f 97)Returns of sick and wounded dated 2 February 1918 (ff 19-20), 9 February 1918 (ff 83-84)State of supplies on 9 February 1918 (ff 20-22), 16 February 1918 (ff 76-77, 118-119), 23 February 1918 (ff 195-196)Ration strength of Force D, 12 January 1917 (ff 30-36), 19 January 1918 (ff 157-160), 26 January 1918 (ff 36-39), 2 February 1918 (ff 152-154)Distribution of the Turkish Army dated 19 February 1918 (ff 66-68), 26 February 1918 (ff 185-187)Distribution Report showing number and condition of motor vehicles with Force D, January 1 1918 (ff 108-117).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 219; 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 3-217; these numbers are printed and are located in the bottom centre of the recto side of each folio.Dimensions: 21 x 33 cm
Abstract: The volume contains a chronological list of brief summaries of papers relating to the activities of the Indian Expeditionary Force D (also known as the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force) between 1 and 15 November 1917. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: Tables, telegrams, memoranda, and letters.An index to the contents of this volume can be found at folios 3-17. The volume concerns:Military personnel issues, including: recruitment, training, and promotionsThe supply of food, ordnance, oil, construction materials, and other items to Force DBritish ‘punitive actions’ against the ‘offending tribes’ of Al Abbas near Samawah [As Samawah] and Albu Jassim [Al Bu Jasim] near Bani Said [Bani Sa‘id]British raiding and aerial bombardment of villages in Mesopotamia, including Shirwan Sakhal [Shakal] and Kelar [Kalar]River traffic in MesopotamiaPreparations for a meeting between Lieutenant-Generals Jan Smuts, Edmund Allenby, and William Marshall in Egypt, to discuss the ongoing war against Turkey [Ottoman Empire]Matters relating to Dunsterforce, including: the selection of officers and NCOs to join Dunsterforce; the dispatch of an Armoured Car Unit; and the movements of Major-General Lionel DunstervilleRailway construction in MesopotamiaArrest of Sullaiman Mirza [Sulaymān Mīrzā] and Isa Mirza [‘Īsá Mīrzā] by British troops near Khanikin [Khanaqin]Intelligence concerning the activities of the Turkish [Ottoman] and German militariesA report on the military readiness of the 49th Bengal InfantryUnreliability of Bolshevik-influenced Russian troops in Persia [Iran]German propaganda campaigns in PersiaA proposal for British officers to take command of the Persian Cossack BrigadeMatters relating to the Caucasus, including: British attempts to create a local military force; British influence on the relationship between Armenians and ‘Tartars’ in the region; and problems caused by the ‘decidedly Bolshevik’ Russian fleet in the Caspian SeaCivil war in Russia.The volume also contains:Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of: lines of communication; general organisation; and names of General Officers and Brigade Commanders (ff 18-30)Distribution of the Turkish Army dated 12 February 1918 (ff 208-211)Report of number of pilots, balloon officers, and aircraft available for service in Mesopotamia, 31 January 1918 (f 39), 7 February 1917 (f 141)State of supplies on 26 January 1918 (ff 43-44), 2 February 1918 (f 120, f 142-143), 9 February 1918 (ff 232-233)Strength statements of Force D, 24 November 1917 (ff 48-61), 29 December 1917 (ff 107-108)Ration strength of Force D, 31 January 1918 (ff 72-73), 12 January 1918 (ff 84-86), 29 December 1917 (ff 87-90), 19 January (ff 177-180), 5 January 1918 (ff 195-198)Supply requests for Force D, dated February 1918 (ff 62-63), March 1918 (f 149)Returns of sick and wounded dated 2 February 1918 (f 72), 19 January 1918 (ff 76-77), 26 January 1918 (ff 159-160)Proposed War Establishment for an Indian Infantry Battalion (ff 173-177)Distribution Report showing number and condition of motor vehicles with Force D, 1 December 1917 (ff 218-231).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence 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. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 3-246; these numbers are printed and are located in the bottom centre of the recto side of each folio.Dimensions: 21 x 33cm
Abstract: The volume contains a chronological list of brief summaries of papers relating to the activities of the Indian Expeditionary Force D (also known as the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force) between 16 and 30 November 1918. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, letters, memoranda, and tables.An index to the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3311. The volume concerns:Military personnel issues, including: recruitment, reinforcements, and the transfer of officersSupply of food, equipment, ordnance, construction materials and other items to Force DPreparations for the demobilisation of Force DDemobilisation of the Turkish [Ottoman] ArmyPrisoner of war exchangesRailway, river, and port traffic in Mesopotamia [Iraq]The British occupation of the Mosul VilayetConstruction of railways in MesopotamiaPost-war economic and political conditions in MesopotamiaThe creation of new governments in Mesopotamia, Syria, and PalestineDiscussion of the Anglo-French Declaration and its significance for MesopotamiaProposal for the creation of a British-administered ‘Kurdish State’ centred on Sulaimaniyah [Sulaymaniyah]Transfer of Mesopotamian public debts, archives, and other state assets from the Turkish to the British administrationOfficial examination of the 49th Bengal InfantryBritish occupation of Baku and Batum [Batumi]British policy in the Caucasus, including: the British intention to ‘police’ the region between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea; proposed disarming of ‘the 6 ½ million inhabitants of Trans-Caucasia’; and the proposed British recognition of autonomous governments in Georgia, Armenia, and AzerbaijanBritish military support for White Russian and other anti-Bolshevik forcesIntelligence concerning German troop numbers and movements in the Caucasus and AnatoliaIntelligence concerning Turkish troop numbers and movements in the Caucasus and AnatoliaPolitical events in Constantinople [Istanbul]Supply issues for British units in Persia [Iran]Request from the Shah of Persia that Persia be represented at future peace negotiations.The volume also contains:Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of lines of communication and general organisation (ff 56-64)Report of pilots and aircraft available for service in Mesopotamia, 14 November 1918 (f 3), 21 November 1918 (f 120)Ration strength of Force D on 5 October 1918 (ff 92-96), 12 October 1918 (ff 18-22, 175-179), 19 October 1918 (ff 117-120), 26 October 1918 (ff 72-74)Strength return of Force D on 21 September 1918 (ff 22-34), 28 September 1918 (ff 198-210), 19 October 1918 (ff 90-92), 26 October 1918 (ff 261-262)Ammunition return of Force D on 5 October 1918 (ff 210-221), 25 October 1918 (f 39), 29 October 1918 (ff 84-85), 5 November 1918 (f 85), 12 November 1918 (f 99), 19 November 1918 (f 264)Weekly return of sick and wounded dated 12 October 1918 (ff 76-77), 19 October 1918 (ff 169-170)State of supplies on 7 November 1918 (ff 110-111), 20 November 1918 (ff 262-263)Distribution Report showing number and condition of motor vehicles with Force D, 1 October 1918 (ff 223-244).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 273; these numbers are printed, and are located in the bottom centre of the recto side of each folio. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.Dimensions: 21 x 33cm
Abstract: The file concerns complaints made by Hirjimal Dhamanmal, and other Bahrain merchants, about the Food Controller, Bahrain (Captain Arthur Charles Byard; later Claud Cranbrook Lewis deGrenier), who was responsible for implementing food control policies (e.g. rationing and import controls) in Bahrain during the wartime conditions created by the Second World War (1939-45).The principal correspondents are the Food Controller, Bahrain; the Political Agent, Bahrain; Hirjimal Dhamanmal & Company, Bahrain; Goverdhandas Dharamdas & Company, Bahrain; Haridas Janimal & Company, Bahrein [Bahrain]; other Bahrain merchants; the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain (deGrenier); and the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave).The papers include a complaint over the Food Controller's role in the import, at the Food Controller's own request, by Hirjimal Dhamanmal and seven other Bahrain merchants of 2000 bags of sugar from Karachi, which remained unsold, and which the merchants claimed would cause them a 'ruinous loss' if sold at a reduced rate; and various complaints about the working of the food control system in Bahrain, including the issuing of export permits, corruption amongst officials, and allegations of discrimination in favour of some merchants. The commodities discussed include (Rangooni) rice, Mangalore coffee, fruit and vegetables, and sugar.The Persian language content of the file consists of a petition (with English translation), dated 27 May 1944, on folio 119.The covering dates of the main run of correspondence (folios 2-113) are 3 October 1940 - 26 January 1943. The date range gives the covering dates of all the correspondence, including enclosures dated 1939-40 (folios 79-82) and the petition at the end of the file (folios 119-120).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 121; 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 concerns the control of prices of foodstuffs and other commodities in Bahrain, the suppression of hoarding, and the regulation of imports and exports by the Food Controller, Bahrain, against the background of wartime conditions caused by the outbreak of the Second World War (1939-45).The principal correspondents are the Political Agent, Bahrain; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Residency Agent, Sharjah; the Government of India; the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave); the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain (Claud Cranbrook Lewis deGrenier); and the Food Controller, Bahrain (Captain Arthur Charles Byard; later deGrenier).The papers include: initial discussion of measures to protect the poor in Bahrain from profiteering by merchants in the bazaars, and the introduction of fixed price lists for commodities (folios 2-12); the need for the British to consider Indian traders in Bahrain (folios 7-9); the issue of hoarding of stocks (folio 11); initial estimates of stocks of essential foodstuffs in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast; measures in the event of war (folios 14-16); regular Customs Department statistics of commodities available for sale in Bahrain, and estimated period of sufficiency; statistics of consumption of foodstuffs; notices issued by the Government of Bahrain and the Political Agent, Bahrain concerning prices and hoarding; regulation made under the Persian Gulf States (Emergency) Order in Council, 1939, which gave the Political Resident powers to control the supply and pricing of commodities (folios 40-41, 106); definition of luxury goods (folio 43); the effect of the measures on Saudi Arabia (folios 46-47); representations from merchants in Bahrain; the appointment of a new Food Controller, Bahrain (folios 141-142); accusations of profiteering (folios 151-156, folio 159); the effect on Bahrain if Japan were to enter the war (folio 176); special arrangements for the supply of provisions to the Royal Navy (folios 205, 235-240); and the suggestion by the Political Agent that British India Steam Navigation Company (BISN) steamers be used to bring food supplies to Bahrain (folios 207-208).The Arabic language content of the file consists of approximately fifteen folios, mostly official notices in Arabic and English issued by the Government of Bahrain and the Political Agent, Bahrain.The date range gives the covering dates of the correspondence; the latest addition to the file is an entry in the notes dated 26 March 1942.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 283; 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 2-282; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
Abstract: The volume concerns the implementation in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast of the Civil Requirements Programme Middle East. The programme was a Ministry of War Transport initiative to assess the likely civil import needs of the Middle East in view of pressure on available shipping, and the difficulties of inland transport. The papers contain monthly estimates of tonnages required in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast for the period August 1941 to June 1942. The estimates were sent to the Government of India.The main correspondents are the Political Agent, Bahrain; the Government of India; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Residency Agent, Sharjah; the Political Officer, Trucial Coast; the Bahrain Petroleum Company Limited (BAPCO); the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain; the Food Controller, Bahrain; and the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain.The papers include: estimated monthly tonnages for Bahrain, provided by the Government of Bahrain; detailed estimates provided by BAPCO for 1941; estimated monthly tonnages for the Trucial Coast provided by the Residency Agent, Sharjah, and the Political Officer, Trucial Coast (including detailed statements showing commodities, consignors and consignees); statistics of bulk commodities available for sale in Bahrain, and estimated period of sufficiency, issued by the Food Controller, Bahrain, July-August 1941; papers relating to the establishment of the War Transport Committee at Basra, the duties of which were to oversee the increased traffic expected in the Persian Gulf as a result of military and transit cargo needs (folios 180-183, 192-193); and some correspondence relating to individual merchants and commodities.The Arabic language content of the volume consists of less than five folios, including bilingual Arabic and English notices issued by the Government of Bahrain.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 293; 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 5-289; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
Abstract: The file concerns the effects of the implementation of controls on the import and export of food and other commodities in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast during the Second World War (1939-45).The main correspondents are the Political Agent, Bahrain (Edward Birkbeck Wakefield); the Government of India; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Residency Agent, Sharjah; the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave); the Food Controller, Bahrain (Claud Cranbrook Lewis deGrenier); and the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain (also deGrenier).The papers include: Food Controller's report for the year 1941 (folios 2-9); correspondence between Petroleum Concessions (Qatar) Limited, and the Political Agent, Bahrain concerning difficulties caused by the curtailment of the company's supplies by the Food Controller, Bahrain (folios 10-29); the legal implications of hoarding, and related matters (folios 31-33); report by the Food Controller on stocks of food in Bahrain (folio 42); report on control of exports from Bahrain (folios 51-52); statistics of average monthly consumption of staple commodities in Bahrain, and minimum annual requirements of foodstuffs and textiles (folios 61-63); copy of regulation making all exports dependent on the permission of the Food Controller (folios 68-70); the support of the Political Agent, Bahrain for a petition from a group of merchants to allow the re-export of piece goods (folios 75-77); correspondence from the Residency Agent, Sharjah detailing commodities required for consumption on the Trucial Coast; correspondence concerning acute shortages of wheat and flour in Bahrain; correspondence concerning 'famine' conditions on the coast of Persia (e.g. folios 96-98); an estimate of the wartime increase in the cost of living in Bahrain (folio 107); the difficulties faced by Bahrain merchants in exporting goods to India, including an allegation that they needed to give bribes to customs officials at Karachi (folios 158-159, 163-165); a confidential memorandum critical of the Food Controller, Bahrain (folio 169); the use of Bahrein Petroleum Company (BAPCO) tankers for the transportation of foodstuffs (e.g. folios 185-186); and the effect on Bahrain of food shortages in India (folio 220).The Arabic language content of the volume consists of a single letter (with English translation) on folio 90.The date range gives the covering dates of the correspondence; the last addition to the file is an entry in the notes on folio 279 dated 9 August 1942.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 280; 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 1-279; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
Abstract: The file consists of monthly reports of the British Supply Mission (Middle East) from June 1946 to January 1947. Each report, marked secret, opens with an introductory statement consisting of notes on the global food supply situation, including political developments. The reports are then divided into two sections, with information on the food supply, on the one hand, and that of materials on the other. Each section is broken down into parts relating to a particular food or material type. Many reports also include notes on recent or upcoming changes to the allocation and supply schedules.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 76; 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 copies of correspondence and other papers relating to the export of foodstuffs from Pakistan to the sheikhdoms of the Persian Gulf, as part of the Civil Requirements Programme. Principal correspondents in the file include: Political Agency staff at Bahrain; the Director (or Acting Director) of Customs at Bahrain (George William Reginald Smith; Charles Dalrymple Belgrave); various officials of the Government of Pakistan (including representatives of the Ministry of Food, and the Assistant Chief Controller of Imports and Exports at Karachi).The file includes:correspondence dated December 1947 and January 1948, intimating that the Civil Requirements Programme in operation before the partition (i.e. the creation of an independent Pakistan after the partition of India) will continue, and that the sheikhdoms of the Persian Gulf should indicate their food requirements to the Government of Pakistan, which will be forwarded to the Ministry of Food for the setting of export quotas (ff 2-3);correspondence dated January and February 1948, from the Director of Customs at Bahrain, specifying requirements for commodities at Bahrain and Qatar, in the form of lists of commodities and required tonnage (ff 4-5, ff 6-7), and from the Political Resident, specifying commodity requirements for Kuwait, Muscat and Gwadar (ff 9-11);correspondence dated July 1948, relating to the request from the Government of Bahrain for the Government of Pakistan to allow the export of a small quota of bran to Bahrain for use as cattle feed (ff 17-20, f 26, f 28);two letters from the Assistant Chief Controller of Imports and Exports, Karachi, dated 18 October 1948 and 23/25 July 1949 respectively, detailing foodstuffs (with quantities) permitted for export, with details of their allocation to the Persian Gulf sheikhdoms (f 29, f 43);correspondence from the Government of Pakistan, dated June 1949, relating to the surrender of export licenses due to unfavourable market conditions in the Gulf and increased market prices in Pakistan (f 35);correspondence from the Director of Customs at Bahrain, and the Political Officer on the Trucial Coast, dated October and November 1949, providing details of the firms to whom export licenses may be granted (ff 51-53, f 54).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 64; 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 comprises correspondence relating to miscellaneous calls and requests for dhows and other watercraft, to perform various tasks related to wartime measures, including: transport of war equipment; use as floating craft platforms for wireless observation equipment; to assist in importing provisions to the Persian Gulf from India. The file’s principal correspondents are: the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior); and the Political Agent at Bahrain (Edward Birkbeck Wakefield).The file includes:enquiries made in April 1942 into the availability at Bahrain and the Trucial Coast of large dhows or lighters, for use in the assembly of trucks bound for Russia at Bushire (ff 2-6);correspondence from May and June 1942 relating to the charter from Kuwait by the Royal Air Force, of twelve dhows to be used as floating wireless observation units (WOUs) that will be arranged in a line between the Iranian and Qatar coasts, including a preliminary enquiry into the scheme by Herbert Bainbrigge Russell, Air Commodore Commanding No.215 Group, RAF Iraq, and notice from the Political Agent at Kuwait (Major Tom Hickinbotham) of two vessels bound from Kuwait to Bahrain (ff 8-16);copies of correspondence dated 1942 relating to recommendations to encourage more sailing dhows to ply their trade between the Gulf of Aden and India, including an exhortation to the use of sailing boats over oil- and coal-powered vessels, written by Brian Joseph Hartley, Agricultural Officer at Aden, dated 4 April 1942 (ff 20-21);correspondence dated November 1942 following an order made by the Ruler of Kuwait [Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ], for all Kuwaiti dhows not carrying dates to operate between India and the Gulf ports (chiefly Kuwait, Bahrain and Muscat) as a means of supporting trade and maintaining supply of vital provisions (f 23, ff 29-33, ff 36-38);correspondence relating to an order, made by the Naval Officer at Bahrain in October 1942, for two second-hand wooden skiffs, the price of which was considered too excessive, and the matter subsequently dropped (ff 25-28, ff 34-35);correspondence dated June 1943 relating to the sale of dhows formerly used for mine watching (ff 41-44);a circular letter from the Naval Officer in Charge at Bahrain, dated 9 October 1943, requesting a report of all motor launches at Bahrain (f 45), prompting a letter from the Manager of Petroleum Concessions Limited (PCL) at Bahrain, Ernest Vincent Packer, dated 17 October 1943, expressing concern that their motor launch, used to ferry company supplies between Bahrain and Qatar, might be seized by the naval authorities at Bahrain (f 46).Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 51; 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 2-50; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.