'File 86/1 VI (D 97) Kuwait Oil'

Content

The correspondence in the volume relates to three main areas of discussion:

• The Kuwait Oil Company's negotiations with the Shaikh of Kuwait, Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ, for the granting of an oil concession in Kuwait. Included within the volume are copies of both the draft concession agreement, in Arabic and English, (folios 16-27) and copies of the political agreement between His Majesty's Government and the Kuwait Oil Company (folios 57-65, 71-80 and 83-84) as well as correspondence regarding particular clauses within both agreements. Also included are records of interviews between Harold Dickson, 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. Kuwait, and the Shaikh of Kuwait, 25-26 February 1934, discussing the Shaikh's thoughts on the draft concession presented to him (folios 28-35). The Kuwait Oil Company's negotiations were handled by Major Archibald Chisholm and Major Frank Holmes.
• The British Government's concerns over an oil concession for the Nejd-Kuwait Neutral Zone, and particularly the possibility of an American company receiving the concession from the Saudi Government. The correspondence is primarily between the Foreign Office, 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. and the British Legation at Jedda and seeks to determine what the position is between the Saudi Government and the two interested parties in the Neutral Zone concession: the Standard Oil Company of California and the Arabian Development Syndicate. Also included in the volume are records of two meetings held at 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. between Sir Louis Kershaw, Deputy Under Secretary of State, and representatives of the Foreign Office, Admiralty, 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. and Petroleum Department to discuss the oil concession in the Neutral Zone, ways of attempting to ensure that British owned company secures the concession, and the difficulties of jurisdiction and protection of employees within the zone itself (folios 89-97 and 125-128).
• Correspondence between the Air Ministry, Air Officer Commanding , 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. Kuwait and the Shaikh of Kuwait regarding the lease of three sites within Kuwait: two at Jahra and Subaihiya [Şubayḩīyah] for use as landing grounds and one at Shuwaikh for use as an air base. The correspondence includes details of how the three sites are to be used and the conditions which the Shaikh of Kuwait places on their lease.

The volume also contains file notes (folios 220-225) which list each individual item of correspondence received and its date.

Extent and format

1 volume (242 folios)

Arrangement

The contents of this volume have been arranged in chronological order.

At the back of the file are several folios of file notes (folios 220-225) which list each item of correspondence in the volume, with dates, and provides folio numbers (described as page numbers in the notes) in the margin to enable them to be used as an index.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The volume is foliated with pencil numbers, enclosed in a circle, located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. The foliation sequence runs from front to back covers. There is an earlier foliation sequence which uses uncircled numbers in the top right corner of each recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. and runs intermittently from folios 2-30. The following foliation anomalies occur: 1A-1E, 16A, 27A, 56A, 57A, 128A, 186A. Folios 83 and 84 are fold-outs.

Watermark: The watermark EllamS can be found on folios 60 to 65.

Written in

English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

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.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/1/642

Former external reference(s)

Confidential Series: D 97 A Series: 86/1 VI

History of this record

Date(s)

7 Feb 1934-30 Apr 1934 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Concessions, Oil, KuwaitConcessions, Oil, Kuwait-Nejd Neutral ZoneMilitary policy

Places

KuwaitSaudi ArabiaShuwaikh

People & organisations

AdmiraltyAir MinistryAir Officer Commanding, IraqAnglo-Iranian Oil Company LimitedSecretary of State for India, United KingdomPolitical Agent, KuwaitEmir of KuwaitBritish Legation to Saudi ArabiaKuwait Oil CompanyArabian Development Syndicate LimitedFrank HolmesArchibald Hugh Tennent Chisholm

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'File 86/1 VI (D 97) Kuwait Oil', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/642, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x000268> [accessed 25 April 2024]

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