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Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.' [3r] (5/361)
The record is made up of 1 file (179 folios). It was created in 29 Apr 1936-15 Oct 1942. 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
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
mam
Kct.379/43.
Extract from Intelligence Summary of the Political
Agent, Bahrain, for tne period 1st to ISth October.19^2.
No.19 of 1942.
211* Drilling on Hawar Island .
SECRET
The explanation should
be that, in view of the
wo rid-wide shortage of
drilling equipment, NC
exploratory drilling
is permissible in present
circumstances.
In October 1941 the Bahrain Petroleum Company
were given permission to drill holes on the main Hawar
Island in order to obtain information of the geological
structure there. The Bahrain Government were
particularly pleased at the inclusion of this item in
the Company's drilling programme both because it afford
ed further evidence of the British Government's
acceptance of their claim to sovereignty over the
Hawar Islands, and because they hoped thereby to secure
a water supply on the main island. At the beginning
of October the Company informed the Bahrain Government
of their intention to start drilling operations
immediately after the end of Ramadhan. Since the
institution of drilling operations so near to his
territory would undoubtedly have incensed the Shaikh
of Qatar to an inordinate degree, and would have
prompted many awkward questions at a time when awkward
questions are particularly unwelcome (the Qatar Oil
Company's drilling equipment is in the process of
being loaded for shipment to India) the Bahrain
Petroleum Company were asked to postpone indefinitely
their drilling programme on and near the Hawar Islands .
The Company readily agreed to the postponement asked
for, and it only remains now to devise an explanation
acceptable to the Shaikh of Bahisin for the deferment
of a project in which he takes so keen a personal
interest.
(Intld) E .»v .R .L.(umby)
About this item
- Content
The file concerns the disputed claims of the rulers of Bahrain and Qatar to sovereignty over the Hawar Islands. The issue arose afresh in 1936 in response to a request from Petroleum Concessions Limited to settle the issue of ownership, in order that the Company could claim oil concession rights over the island as part of the concession not previously allocated to the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) (the Bahrain Unallotted Area).
The papers contain statements of evidence on both sides, and correspondence discussing the question from 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. ; 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. , Bahrain; the Foreign Office; Petroleum Concessions Limited; the Government of Bahrain; and the two rulers concerned. The British Government decided in 1939, after examining the evidence, that the islands belonged to Bahrain (folio 44). The papers show 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. , Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior, challenged the validity of this judgement in 1941, stating that the case had been decided 'according to western ideas, and no allowance has been made for local custom and sentiment' (folios 6-8). However, a subsequent letter on the subject from the Government of India to 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. concluded that it was then too late to reverse the decision (folio 4).
The Arabic language content of the papers consists of approximately five folios; these include photographs of judgements (with translation, folios 57-58) submitted by the Government of Bahrain to the British Government, showing that the Bahrain Court had exercised jurisdiction in legal cases concerning residents of Hawar (folios 130-133).
The file also includes photographs of places in Hawar (folios 126-127).
The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (179 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 181; 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. Two additional foliation sequences are also present in parallel between ff 3-179, and ff 48-88; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.' [3r] (5/361), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3895, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100076666398.0x000008> [accessed 24 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3895
- Title
- Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:18v, 19v:22v, 24r:24v, 28r:29v, 30v:38v, 42r:49v, 60r:67v, 85v, 86v, 87v, 88v:102v, 105r:111v, 114r:115v, 125r:125v, 128r:129r, 134r:137v, 140r:166v, 169r:170v, 176r:177v, 180r:180v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence