'File 5/6 DECLARATION OF GENERAL AVERAGE ON ACCOUNT OF S.S."BARENFELS" HAVING BEEN FOUNDERED NEAR FESHT AL DHIJBAL.'

Content

The file concerns the decision of the agents of the German Hansa Line ship SS Barenfels to declare 'general average' after the vessel ran aground at the Fesht al Djibal (a reef off the east coast of Bahrain). (The location is spelled Fesht al Dhijbal in the title of the file). General average is a legal principle of maritime law according to which all parties in a sea venture proportionally share any losses resulting from a voluntary sacrifice of part of the ship or cargo to save the whole in an emergency. Following the declaration of general average, a number of local merchants in Bahrain who had cargo on the Barelfels refused to make the required 5% payment on the invoice value of the ship's cargo or to sign the general average bond, and made various complaints against the agents. The file contains correspondence between 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 Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain (Claud Cranbrook Lewis deGrenier); the agents of the Hansa Line, Mohamed Sharif H. Kutbuddin Awazi and Company, Bahrain; and local merchants.

The Arabic language content of the file is largely confined to a bilingual notice in English and Arabic issued by the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain on folio 4.

Extent and format

1 file (38 folios)

Arrangement

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 with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 40; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located at the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

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/15/2/1188

Former external reference(s)

English Office files: 5/6

History of this record

Date(s)

16 Dec 1929-21 Jan 1930 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Law of the seaShipping agents

Places

Fesht al Djibal

People & organisations

SS Barenfels, steamshipDirector of Customs and Port Officer

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'File 5/6 DECLARATION OF GENERAL AVERAGE ON ACCOUNT OF S.S."BARENFELS" HAVING BEEN FOUNDERED NEAR FESHT AL DHIJBAL.', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/1188, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000241.0x00035b> [accessed 16 April 2024]

Link to this record

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