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‘File 7/2 II Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’ [155r] (330/538)
The record is made up of 1 volume (264 folios). It was created in 18 Apr 1934-19 Mar 1935. 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.
Referen
DO /S .IO
755^
My dear
Air Headquarters,
British Forces in 'Iraq,
Hinaidi•
17 th J anuary, 1934•
1 ^
The C—in—C, -.ust Indies, when he was here
recently, requested my assirtance in regard to certain
estimates which he wished carried oat for works at B^HR IN
and U& AL ', t JaI-AJ ?t . To jueet his wishes I instructed
TTo. 205 3(;aadran lo Bono a flying boat down the Gulf
carrying the necessary Worfcs Personnel. Group Captain
SAUL ordered this flying boat to proceed to HAS AL KHAIMAH,
the mv'jst convenient base for the purpose in view.
It was therefore a matter of surprise to me
when I learned that, on the advice of 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 it was inadvisable for a flying boat to visit
R a S a I j KHAIMAH, SAtTL had had to make use of DIRAI as the
base.
I look upon HAS aL KIlAl: AH as a recognised
refuelling place for our flying boats operating in the
Gulf, and somewhere at which they can touch at any tiiie
with no more than formal notification in advance. Moreover,
the Air Ministry have impressed upon me thit they regard
this place as the moat important refuelling base for sea
planes in the Gulf. In fact, ehould we be unable to use
RAS rJL KHABuJI in the event of one ol our inter-Command
reinforcement schemes being put into force, a profound
modification would have to be made in the scheme with
possible delay to the movement of aircraft.
I am not aware of the reason which precluded
the use of l s fiL khai; all on this occasion, but S a UL , in
a partial explanation, has led me to believe that the Shaikh
of RAS al khaimah had removed his flag from TAlB Island,-
thas playing into the hands of the Persians, who have given
indications of their intention to renew t eir claim for
the island* The best answer, it seems to me, would have
been to have alloweci the flying boat to go to RaS ^ KHAlfeAH
at once, but of that you no doubt are in a better position
tha 1 I to judge as you are in possession of the i cts.
Before you receive this letter I hope that we
shall have been able to meet and h ve had jan opportunity to
discuss the matter, but I feel that I should like to place
my views on record. I consider that any interruption to
the activities of either land planes or flying boats in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
is a very sen as matter, and I should
appreciate it if, in every instance when there is any
question of aircraft being unable to uBe the facilities
provided, I could be i mediately put in possession of the
full facts of the case.
Yours
(Sgd.) W. G. S. MITCHELL.
Colonel T.C. Fowle, GBh.
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.
,
he
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.
,
BUSHIKK.
IV Q. Ml
About this item
- Content
The volume is a continuation of correspondence from ‘File 7/2 I Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’ (IOR/R/15/2/263), its contents relating to ongoing negotiations between Arab rulers and the British Government and Royal Air Force on the installation and maintenance of air facilities along the Arab coast, between Qatar and Ra’s al-Khaymah. The principal correspondents in the file are Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven Fowle, 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 Percy Gordon Loch, 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, and Khan Bahadur ‘Īsá bin ‘Abd al-Latif, the British Government’s Native Agent Non-British agents affiliated with the British Government. at Sharjah. The majority of the volume’s correspondence relates to specific air facilities in the Gulf, notably in the dominions of Shaikh Shakbut bin Sulton of Abu Dhabi:
1. Damage to the unguarded petrol store at Yas Island [Şīr Banī Yās], and the contamination of its contents, was reported to Loch in June 1934 (folio 12). The damage enforced further negotiations with Shaikh Shakbut bin Sultan over arrangements for guards to be installed at the store. Loch arranged for negotiations to take place, with Shaikh Sa'id bin Maktum of Dubai acting as a mediator between the two parties (folios 51-52).
2. The establishment and marking out of an air strip at Şīr Banī Yās. Negotiations over the guarding of the petrol tank at Şīr Banī Yās went hand-in-hand with negotiations for an emergency landing strip at the same location. Negotiations with Shaikh Shakbut bin Sultan were successfully concluded on 13 February 1935. The original agreement is included in the volume (folio 226), with a copy of the English text (folio 162, 163).
3. The erection of beacons at air facilities across the Gulf for night-time flying. While arrangements were made for landing strips at Şīr Banī Yās and at Abu Dhabi, British Government officials in London and the Iraq RAF Command pressed for the installation of beacons at air facilities in the Gulf to enable night time flight along the India air route (folio 121). British officials in London and the Gulf were at odds with each other over the speed with which beacons could be installed (folios 201, 204-05), given the slow and precarious nature of negotiations with the Arab shaikhs. In a letter to Fowle, dated 13 December 1934, Loch expressed reservations about raising the issue of beacons with Shaikh Shakbut bin Sultan, given the difficulties in resolving existing issues with the landing strips and petrol store (folios 138-40).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (264 folios)
- Arrangement
The contents of the volume are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest items at the front of the volume to the latest at the end. There are office notes at the end of the file (folios 227-54), which mirror the chronological order of the file correspondence.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The main foliation sequence begins on the contents page and ends on the last folio; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and can be found 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 other pagination sequences are also present in the volume, between ff. 114-224 (incomplete) and ff. 227-254; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence. Foliation anomalies: 1A and 1B; 146A, 146B and 146C.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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‘File 7/2 II Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’ [155r] (330/538), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/264, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023511790.0x000083> [accessed 19 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/264
- Title
- ‘File 7/2 II Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:iv-v, 1ar:1bv, 2r:39v, 41r:71v, 75r:142v, 144r:145v, 146ar, 146br:146cv, 146av, 147r:162v, 165r:225v, 227r:254v, v-r:viii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence