'File 10/1 IV Bahrain Oil Concession' [‎158r] (328/476)

to suggest that tne only satisfactory solution in their view
in the interests Doth oi the Company and of H.M.G. would be
^ that ne Duould now be replaced. In the event of trie Company
responding, n.M.a. on their part would be prepared to release
ohe Company from their od ligation to retain iviajor Holmes
under the terms of Condition C. It was agreed that a draft
00 tne company shouj.d oe circulated for concurrence*
0 * was ^urtner agreed that if&nd when approval was
obtained to action on these lines it would be well that 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. should see Mr. Ballantyne iniorimlly before any
Idut-er actually issued, and indicate to him the course of
acuion wnich H.M.G. had in mind, emphasising that this was
no t Qii -indication of hostility towards the Company, but that
tne course proposed was one which appeared to be in the best
interests of both parties and, (if the conversation justified
this) that H.M.G. would not be found difficult in regard .to
the replacement of Major Holmes and might be prepared to
consider as a special case Mr. Skinner, of whom they had now
considerable experience.
It was recognised that if Major Holmes lost the post
of Chief Local .Representative, but was not excluded from
Bahrein and Koweit, he would still be free to pursue his
activities in those end other Sheikhdoms of the Gulf as a
private individual or as the unofficial representative of oil
interests, out Colonel Powle had at sin earlier stage been of
opinion that the blow to his prestige involved in his loss of
the post of Chief Local Representative would be such as
P'rejudicially to affect his position in the eyes of the local
rulers concerned.
^• The Comoanv's application for extension of the
■££S jagecting licence . The meeting read the three letters
aated 9th August from Mr. Ballantyne 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. ,
(P•2.4877-4879), of which copies had been circulated, and also
11 Mr./