'File 82/1 [I] (F 52) A.P.O.C. and Oil Concessions Arab Coast' [‎5r] (9/307)

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AHGLO PERSIAN OIL COMPAKY, LTD,,
Britannic House,
Great Winchester Street,
London. E.G.2.
(D
12th May. 1921.
The Under Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Office.S.W.1 #
Sir,
.*e have the honour to refer to correspondence ending
with our letter of 16th May, 1918, with regard to the grant
of this Company of Concessions covering the territories of
the Sheikh of Kuweit and of the Sheikh of Bahrein and to
enquire whether the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
can now see his way to instruct 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. either personally or through the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. of the
Political Agents at the various ports, to apply to the
Sultan of Muscat, the Trucial Chiefs of Oman, the Sheikh of
Bahrein, the Emir of Hejd and the Sheikh of Kuweit, for an
exclusive prospecting licence in favour of this Company in
the territories of these Rulers for oil and its allied
products, viz: bitumen, pitch, ozokerite, etc,.
The grant of such an extensive prospecting licence
would be without prejudice to the eventual terms of
concessions to be granted in the event of any oil beine;
discovered.
As very heavy expenditure must necessarily be incurred
in prospecting in these territories for oil, no payment
would become due to the Chiefs in respect of such prospecting
licence, and the Company would expect to be permitted to
import all requirements in this connection free of duty.
Should the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
prefer that negotiations should be opened with these Chiefs
by a Representative.of the Company, they would be prepared
to arrange accordingly, provided that 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.
was instructed to afford such representative all necessary
diplomatic support and assistance.
On general political grounds it appears very
desirable that all oil concessions in these territories
should be in the hands of a single British Company and the
activity shpwn by ^ey4e foreign oil companies in obtaining
a foothold in undeveloped lands seems to indicate that some
action should be taken in this direction in the near future.
My Board are aware that the responsibility for these
Territories has recently been transferred to the Secretary of
State for the Colonies, but in view of the fact that all
previous correspondence has been with the Foreign Office
they have ventured to address you in the first instance with
a request that their representation may be transmitted with
copies of any necessary previous papers to the Colonial Office
for such action as may be thought desirable.
We have etc.
for the Anglo Persian Oil Company Ltd.
(SD)D.GARROW,
paging direotor .