"ملف 82/27 (VI (F 87 نفط قطر" [و‎‎٥‎٨] (٤٥٤/١٢٨)

F.Z» 1783/35. BRITAMIC HOUSE,
FINSBURY CIRCUS,
LONDON, E.G. 2-
13th March 1935.
thwaite Esq#, 0.1.1^.,
Office,
¥. 1
Dear Laithwaite,
Qatr.
We have received further reports from Mylles
indicating the difficulty of the negotiations, hut not as
yet any actual redrafts proposed by the Shaikh.
The Shaikh has told Mylles that Holmes had written
suggesting that he should come to Qatr secretly and make him
an offer. The Shaikh said that he had not replied as he
was not like Ahmed of Kuwait but liked to do things openly*
A reply was sent through Nasir al Mana' to the effect that
the Sheikh did not approve his coming to Qatr in disguise,
and did not agree that if he came to terms with us he was to
withhold his signature for two months to enable Holmes to
make an offer, but he did agree to Holmes coming to Qatr
immediately our option expired (i.e. now alter May 4th) if
he had not already come to terms with us, and that he would
give Holmes preference over us in any subsequent
negotiations#
Nasir al Mana T asked Holmes to send his proposals
in writing at once, as he and his cousin Saleh could
guarantee to get the Shaikh to consider them and delay
coming to terms with us until the option expired.
The Shaikh's initial comments on our draft were
largely not in the local Arabic but in modern and up-to-date
Egyptian Arabic, and contain words and phrases unknown in
Qatr. This was confirmed by Mylles 1 Arabic-speaking clerk
who/