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'Confidential 86/7-VIII B-45 P.C.L. TRUCIAL COAST' [‎197r] (398/444)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (218 folios). It was created in 12 Aug 1937-29 Dec 1937. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the 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. .

Transcription

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No. 1
Dated 5th February 1937
HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
AND PETROLEUM CONCESSIONS LIMITED
Agreement relating to the Debai Oil Concession
THIS AGREEMENT dated the Fifth day of February One Thousand nine
hundred and thirty-seven is made BETWEEN His Majesty’s Government
in the United Kingdom (hereinafter called “His Majesty’s Government”)
of the one part and Petroleum Concessions Limited (hereinafter called “the
Company ” which expression shall where the context so admits be deemed to
include its successors and/or assignees and shall also be deemed to include any
subsidiary Company) of the other part.
WHEREAS Petroleum Development ( Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ) Ltd. is a subsidiary
Company of Petroleum Concessions Limited.
AND WHEREAS in the event of the Company obtaining a concession from the
Sheikh of Debai (hereinafter called “ the Sheikh ”) certain responsibilities will
devolve on His Majesty’s Government, the Company has agreed with His Majesty’s
Government as follows : —
1. Petroleum Concessions Limited and any subsidiary company shall be and
remain a British company registered in Great Britain and having its principal
place of business in Great Britain, and its Chairman shall at all times be a British
subject.
2. The Agreement between the Company and the Sheikh shall not be transferred
to any other company without the prior consent in writing of His Majesty’s Govern
ment and any other company to which that Agreement may be transferred shall be
and remain a British company registered in Great Britain and having its principal
place of business in Great Britain, and its Chairman shall at all times be a British
subject.
3. The employees of the Company in Debai shall at all times be British subjects
or subjects of the Sheikh, provided that, with the consent of His Majesty’s Govern
ment, such persons of other nationality as are required for the efficient carrying on
of the undertaking may be employed.
Notwithstanding anything contained in the Agreement between the Company
and the Sheikh, the importation of foreign native labour shall be subject to the
approval of 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. .
4. The Company in all except unimportant or routine matters shall deal with
the Debai authorities through a Chief Local Representative in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
who shall be a British subject. The approval of His Majesty’s Government shall
be required for the person so designated. He will be ordinarily resident in Debai
or Bahrein and will be responsible for the Company’s local relations with the
Debai authorities, which shall, except in routine or unimportant matters, be
conducted through the political representative of His Majesty’s Government in
Bahrein or through any other person whom 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 may from time to time designate.
5. Subject to the terms of the Agreement between the Company and the Sheikh
the Company undertakes at all times to pay due deference to the wishes of the
Sheikh and to the advice of 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. and of
the Political Officers subordinate to him.
6. Any right given to the Company under its Agreement with the Sheikh to
utilise means of transportation by air shall be subject to any general regulations
for civil aircraft made by the Sheikh on the advice of His Majesty’s Government,
and to any instructions which may be issued by 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. .

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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, Olaf Kirkpatrick Caroe), 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 (Tom Hickinbotham, Hugh Weightman), the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent at Sharjah (Khan Sahib Saiyid ‘Abd al-Razzaq), the Secretary of State for India and Burma (Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland), 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. (John Charles Walton, Alexander Colin Symon, John Percival Gibson) and Petroleum Concessions Limited (Frederick Lewisohn, Stephen Hemsley Longrigg, Frank Holmes, Basil Henry Lermitte, Ernest Vincent Packer) regarding negotiations for oil concessions on the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .

The correspondence focuses on the negotiations between Shaikh Sultan bin Salim [Shaikh Sulṭān bin Sālim Āl Qasimī], Ruler of Ras al Khaimah [Ra's al Khaymah] and Basil Henry Lermitte of Petroleum Concessions Limited (PCL) and the progress made in attempting to reach an acceptable agreement for both parties.

Also included in the volume are details of the situation with the Shaikh Ahmad bin Rashid [Aḥmad bin rāshid Āl Mu'alla] of Umm al Qaiwain [Umm al Qaywayn] who wishes to await the conclusion of the Ras al Khaimah negotiations before agreeing to a concession with PCL; Shaikh Rashid bin Humaid [Rāshid Bin Ḥumaid Al-Nu`aimī], Ruler of Ajman who wishes to await the expiry of his existing option with PCL before commencing negotiations; and Shaikh Shakhbut bin Sultan bin Zaid [Shaikh Shakhbūt bin Sulṭān bin Zāyid Āl Nahyān], Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with whom it is concluded that negotiations should be put on hold until the Shaikh’s uncle and chief adviser Khalifa bin Zaid [Khalīfah bin Zāyid Āl Nahyān] had returned from Braimi [Al Buraymī].

Further discussions refer to Qatar, where PCL intended concluding their geological explorations and to commence their drilling programme; and Muscat and Dhofar where they hoped to make use of an RAF plane in order to reach more remote areas for geological survey.

Also included in the volume is confirmation of the acceptance by Shaikh Sultan bin Saqar [Sulṭān bin Saqr Āl Qasimī], Ruler of Sharjah of the political agreement and exchange of notes required by His Majesty’s Government in order approve the concession agreement made with Petroleum Concessions Limited; and the signing of the oil concession agreement in Sharjah on 13 September 1937. Later correspondence discusses some typing errors identified in the text of the concession agreement and the need for the political agreement to be the same as Debai’s [Dubai] and not the amended version recently approved by 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. . Copies of the signed concession can be found at folios 6-85 and 157-175, and a copy of the political agreement and letters to be exchanged at folios 179-186.

Other matters discussed in the volume include:

A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 202-215.

Extent and format
1 volume (218 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a table of contents on folio 5 consisting 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 mixed foliation/pagination sequence is also present in parallel between ff 7-203; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. The additional sequence is located in the same position as the main foliation, though some numbers are instead located on the verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. . A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superceded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'Confidential 86/7-VIII B-45 P.C.L. TRUCIAL COAST' [‎197r] (398/444), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/678, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100024256421.0x0000c7> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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