'File 82/1 IV (F 79) Anglo Persian Oil Company Arab Side (Kuwait, Bahrain, Nejd)' [‎83r] (171/419)

Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. ,
Kuwait.
May l£LQu-L232
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BUS^SHE HE8iD«Nt.
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—1
I am enclosing In original a "personal" letter which I
recently received from Sir Arnold Alison, as you ought to
be kept aware of every move In the "oil game" which Is going
on here.
2. On receipt of Sir Arnolds letter I took upon myself
the responsibility of seeing the Sheikh and informing him
verbally and in as tactful a manner as I could, of what the
former had said in his para 2. I of course took special
care to say that what I was communicating was entirely un
official . and that I was onl3r passing on a friendly message
of Sir Arnold Wilson, made to me in a purely private capacity,
I further added that I took no responsibility at all for what
I had been asked to spy,
3. The Sheikh as I expected he -.-rould^ rejected the proposal
at once, saying that it would neither be fair on himself or
on Holmes, were he to grant an exclusive option as promos^d.
He asked me to Inform Sir Arnold to tl.ls effect, and to say
that he was prepared to consider, as he had always been ready
to ^ formal application for an "oil concession" from
the A.P.0*0. in the same way as Holmes was doing, but nothing
more. The Company whicl offered the best terms would get the
concession, always provided that H,M.Gr,. approved the wording
of the various clauses,
4. The Sheikh rather heatedly told me that he had be.n
"blamed on all sides by letter and otherwise (presumably by
Holmes In particular) for having again allowed the A.P.0.3.
Geologists into his ccvr -try when another Companys proposals
were before him. He had however done so he said simply because
H.M,G-, had supported and blessed the A.P.O.Cs request. As
the A,P,0.0. had been foolish enough to withdraw their men,
he could not see his way to let them in again in order to sink
The Honble,
Lieut-Colonel H.V.Biscoe
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. i J :>e Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,