'Confidential 86/12-i A. 70 Petroleum Concessions Limited. MUSCAT'

Content

The volume contains correspondence between the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Trenchard Craven Fowle), the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain (Percy Gordon Loch), the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Muscat (Ralph Ponsonby Watts), the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. (Maurice Clauson), Petroleum Concessions Limited (Major Frank Holmes, John Skliros, Stephen Hemsley Longrigg) and the Standard Oil Company of California (Hamilton R Ballantyne) regarding Petroleum Concessions Limited’s interest in an oil concession in Muscat and their intention of opening negotiations with the Sultan of Muscat and Oman (Sayyid Sa‘īd bin Taymūr Āl Bū Sa‘īd) which were delayed owing to the Sultan extending his stay in the interior of his country near Dhofar [Zufār].

Included in the file are copies in Arabic and English of the proposed concession agreement for Muscat and Oman, including correspondence regarding possible amendments to the agreement and copies of the various drafts which can be found at folios 5-20, 28-40, 109-124, 136-139, 144-159 and 195-210.Also discussed is correspondence between the Sultan of Muscat and the Standard Oil Company of California, including samples of oil seepages found near Dhofar which were sent to the company for assessment but were not found to contain crude oil.

Also discussed are the concerns of British authorities at Standard Oil’s attempts to acquire concessions in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and conversations between the Company’s representative in London and the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. at which the Company were made aware that Petroleum Concessions Limited had been given first right of negotiation in that area.Other matters of interest within the file include:

• concerns over possible reactions by the Bani Bu Ali [Banī Bū ‘Alī] tribe to any negotiations for, or grant of, an oil concession in Muscat, which would cover the Sur district where they held power;
• discussion regarding the difficulty of defining the boundaries for the Imamate of Oman;
• a visit paid by Major Holmes to Cairo and the British authorities in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. interest in knowing who he had met and what he had discussed whilst there;
• correspondence regarding Count Byron de Prorok and his wife Alice who had travelled from Aden to Muscat and Bahrain with the intention of searching for antiquities and archaeological sites in the region, and Tullio Pastori who was visiting Muscat and Bandar Abbas [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] to recruit labour for an Italian road construction project in Eritrea; and British officials suspicions that their visits to the area were on behalf of an Italian Oil concern, which were concluded to be unfounded.

A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 227-236.

Extent and format

1 volume (238 folios)

Arrangement

Arrangement: The volume contains a table of contents on folio 4 comprising of subject headings and page references. The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at 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 The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 21-226; 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.

Written in

English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/1/682

History of this record

Date(s)

1 Feb 1936-31 May 1937 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

BoundariesGeographical explorationConcessions, Oil, Muscat

Places

OmanMuscat

People & organisations

India OfficePetroleum Concessions LimitedPolitical Agent, BahrainSultan of Muscat and Oman, Āl Bū Sa'īd DynastyPolitical Agent and Consul, MuscatArabian American Oil CompanyAlice Josephine de ProrokByron Khun de ProrokTullio PastoriBanī Bū 'Alī (Tribe)

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'Confidential 86/12-i A. 70 Petroleum Concessions Limited. MUSCAT', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/682, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x000290> [accessed 13 May 2024]

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