مجموعة ٣٠/ ١٨٦ "النفط: المياه الإقليمية الكويتية. السلطة القضائية على مناطق باطن الأرض تحت مياه البحر. النفط البحري في الخليج الفارسي." [و‎‎١‎٠‎٢] (٧٣٧/٢٠٤)

~r - - ~; ~ -,w r "; r- --— T r " ' "
wmmm
■olontal Office
>nol No, /
^
V,! h th0 oompllmer, s of the U.S. of S XTI 1
of , . k r*.
*te 3v
erer>ence
19860/72/47,
■ ,r jl ica.
Colonial Oijigi
• •'
• ^
.. /. ..
\V' '
: » *4
A %h 1
COLGITl.VL v CFFICK»
Deeming Street*
1947
sir.
Oub^/rine Clt Iteposlt-fc
(SEPARATE
I havo the honcmr to refer to /cur
secret telegrrim Wo* 1313 of 6th December last,
on tlio subject of the e/ppropristion of t'uc
coatineat&l shoif surrounding Jancioa end its
depondenciec for - oil mining purpose®, and to
infora / u that 1 hsve given further consideration
to the (jucetloa in the iiipat of the considerations
mentioned in your tolegrma*
2 * After consulting the Dep^rtnente
conocrimed I have decided that it ivould be
inadvisable to define the term "continental shelf”,
ss no such definition io contained in the
/reclamation of the President of the United ot&wes
of America of the 28th of 3spt«x*ber» 1945.
claiming jurisdiction over the natural resources
of the jubaoil ..ad sea-bed of the continental
shelf contiguous to the coasts of the United
Jtatos. I understand that on certain charts
issued by the United States Depnrtitmt of the
Interior the anelf around the American continent
is shown as extending outwards to the ICO fathom
line, and whilst it is true that these etorta are
not directly linhed with the President's
Proclamation, they do furnish evidence of the
United States Government's opinion as to the
extent of the area which they have annexed under
xhe i reclamation. I cnelcee a copy of Admiralty
chart ho.761 which shows the depths of the waters
surrounding Jamaica* I understand that each of
the islands in the Jamaica group htc a definite
shelf beyond which the ocean bed sinks to a point
far below the 100 fathom line, and it seems
advisable, therefore. th.ut thia limit should be
adopted for determining the extent of the
continental shelf, although It is undesir ble to
embody it in any legislation providing for the
annexation of the shelf* I should be glad to
learn whether you concur with this view*
3* I enclose & copy of a draft Order-in-
Council under the Colonial Boundaries Act. 1895.
extending the boundaries of the Colony ef Jamaica
so &c tc include the continental ahelf contiguous
to the coeste of the Colony, end I should be
grateful if you would inform me whether you approve