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'File 38/11 P. C. L. Planes' [‎37r] (73/338)

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The record is made up of 1 file (167 folios). It was created in 30 May 1938-22 Apr 1950. 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. .

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COPY.
(Received under 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. endt. No. Ext. 1146
dated iBth April 1942.)
P.Z.2926/37.
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.
WHITEHALL,
S. W. 1.
18th Fay, 1937.
Sir,
In reply to your letter of the 24th Larch, No. P.C. 27/23/30,
I am directed to inform you that His Majesty’s Government see no
objection in principle to 'the use of aircraft for transport or
survey in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. area, provided (a) that the consent
of the Sheikh concerned is obtained beforehand and the area over
which the Company would propose to fly explained to him, (b) 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. or the Political
Agent concerned is kept in close touch with the.Company’s plans
and is consulted as to the suitability of the aircraft^and
equinment (e.g. wireless), which would in any case conform to
the regulations regarding airworthiness etc. which apply in
Bahrain (or Muscat), (c) that any air survey company which may
be employed is a British firm of undoubted repute under entirely
British direction and employing British nationals or natives of
the Arab State concerned.
2. As regards the specific proposals of the Company, His
Majesty's Government are of opinion, after consulting the local
political authorities, that it would be best to postpone any
air survey (or the use of aircraft for transport) on the Trcial
Coast until thj* concessions have actually be$n obtained from
the Rulers. The use of aircraft is provided for in the draft
concessions, and when these are obtained there will be a ceriai v ‘
obligation on trie Rulers concerned to co-operate in the matter.
But in the meanwhile it would not be possible to count on the
Rulers' co-operation except as a special favour (for which they
might expect some return), and it would appear undesiraole at
this stage to ask more favours of them than is absolutely necessary.
3. The same reasons against any immediate action apply to
Muscat with greater force, in view of the fact* that the negotiations
with the Sultan have not Jjegun.
4. As regards Qatar, the previous permission of the Ruler is
specifically required (under Article 6 of the Concession) ior
the use of aircraft. His Majesty's Government see no objection
to the Company approaching the Shaikh (through the local political
authorities) for^the necessary permission^ but they are anxious
pi at flights over the extreme southern section of the territory
lying within the boundary of the oil concessions should, as far
as practicable, be avoided or at any rate limited to a course
lying well within the concessions line. They would also like
to"be informed through the local Political authorities well in
advance before any regular flights are begun in the southern
area.
5: Since His Majesty's Government have had this matter under
consideration, there have, as you know, been reports of differen
arising between the Sheikh of *atar and certain tribesmen in the
neighbourhood of Zub^rah. The Company will of course appreciate
that these occurrences might necessitate some postponement of
the approach to the Sheikh which is envisaged in the preceding
paragraph.
I am, etc. ,

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Content

The file contains correspondence relating to the movement of company (Petroleum Concessions Limited) planes in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . The main correspondents are: representatives of Petroleum Concessions Limited and its subsidiary companies (Petroleum Development (Qatar) Limited and Petroleum Development (Oman and Dhofar) Limited); 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; the Political 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. at Bushire (later Bahrain) [ Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Political 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. ]; Sir Charles Belgrave, Advisor to the Shaikh of Bahrain; 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. ; the Air Vice-Marshal, Commanding British Forces in Iraq; the Government of India, External Affairs Department; Shaikh Abdullah bin Qasim al Thani [‘Abdullāh bin Qāsim Āl Thānī], ruler of Qatar; Shaikh Sultan bin Saqr [Sulṭān bin Saqr Āl Qāsimī One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. ], ruler of Sharjah; Shaikh Said bin Maktum [Sa‘īd bin Maktūm Āl Maktūm], ruler of Dubai; and 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 Muscat.

The papers within the file are mostly concerned with permission for landings and flyovers by company planes in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Sharjah, Dubai, and Oman. These permissions are sought by the company from the appropriate ruler (as sovereign) and the RAF (for use of the airfields), via the appropriate British Government officer (in this case, 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). The permissions sometimes include details of the planes, such as name, registration, passengers, pilot, engineers, and wireless operators.

Other matters covered by the file include:

  • the distribution by the company of their own aviation fuel to aerodromes across the region;
  • the planning and permission of an aerial photographic survey of Qatar and its territorial waters carried out by the company in early 1947.

There is a gap in the correspondence between 1939 and 1945, due to the Second World War.

Folio 123 is a sketch map of southern Qatar, showing the limits of the proposed aerial survey.

Folios 159-68 are internal office notes.

Extent and format
1 file (167 folios)
Arrangement

The file is arranged chronologically.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 38/11 P. C. L. Planes' [‎37r] (73/338), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/868, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025657289.0x00004a> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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