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‘File 86/2 I (C 30) Bahrain Oil Concession (Eastern & General Syndicate)’ [29r] (74/661)
The record is made up of 1 volume (328 folios). It was created in 28 Aug 1925-8 Sep 1929. 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.
CONFIDENTIAL.
D
Oc*
Balirain,
the Hth October 1925.
nir .
of todays date ,
Please refer to my D.O. No.85/9/9
reporting my conversation with kajor Holmes on the subject
of water in Bahrain.
During Mr. Madgewick's sta:' here in connection with
the Artesian wells, I had little doubt that he was taking
ever^' opportunity of looking over the islands with a view
to advising the Syndicate oti the subject of oil. My suspic-
-ions were confirmed when Major Holmes stated today that
if he got the concession, he would hand over the whole of
the geological side of it to Mr. kadgewick! I was interest
ed at once to find out whether or not Mr. .uadgewick had
discovered any definite indication of the presence of oil
in the islands, kajor Holmes however alluded to the conces-
-sion as"pure wild-catting", but stated that the Syndicate
were prepared to lose as mach as £40,000 before giving up.
I gathered also that owing to the difficulties they are
encountering in connection with the jhasa concession, the
Syndicate hope to obtain some indication of the geological
conditions prevailing in that area by boring in Bahrain.
My impression is therefore that ^ajor Holmes has no definite
prospect of finding oil in Bkarain. He is however ooviously
keen on getting the concession, which would doubtless be a
feather in his own cap in view of the struggle he has had
in obt^ianing a backing from the Colonial Office. He is now
onl^ awaiting your permission to interview Sheikh Hamad on
the subject. I would be grateful if you will kindly wire
me this permission, if you see no objection, when I will
arrange an interview with the Sheikh , at which I propose
to be present myself.
L^eut. Colonel F.B .Prideaux, C.S.I., C.I.ii.,
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.
About this item
- Content
The volume contains letters, telegrams and memoranda relating to negotiations for the extension of Eastern & General Syndicate Limited’s (hereafter E&GS) concession for oil exploration in Bahrain. Correspondents in the volume include 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. in Bahrain (chiefly Major Cyril Barrett, incumbent from September 1926 to April 1929), representatives of E&GS (including Major Frank Holmes and the Company Secretary, H. Adams), and various British Government officials in the Colonial Office.
Key subjects covered by the volume include:
- Fears on the part of British officials in 1925 to the prospects of the discovery of oil in Bahrain (folios 29-31), and resistance to the E&GS having signed a concession with the Ruler of Bahrain, Shaikh Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah (folios 62-63);
- An application by E&GS in 1928 to extend their oil concession agreement (folios 110-11);
- Confusion over the terms of a new agreement, with particular reference to a new clause insisting that the E&GS would remain a British interest (folios 193-95, 206-10);
- Reports of American investment in E&GS (folios 196-98);
- Terms of the agreement between E&GS and the North American Gulf Oil Company (folios 217-50);
- Assignment of Gulf Oil’s option on the concession to the Standard Oil Company of California (folios 260-61);
- Negotiations between E&GS and the Colonial Office over the maintenance of British control over oil exploration funded by foreign investment in Bahrain (folios 277-86);
- Confirmation of the concession extension with the agreed terms over the extent of foreign (American) investment (folios 299-304).
The volume also contains copies of the numerous drafts of the oil concession, with its various modifications and amendments, including the original 1925 concession in English and Arabic (folios 79-97), and a draft copy of the 1928 agreement with additions inserted by a representative of the Government of Bahrain, presumably the Adviser to the Government, Charles Dalrymple-Belgrave (folios 156-75).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (328 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest items at the front to the latest at the end. The office notes at the end of the file (folios 309-17) mirror the chronological arrangement.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: There is an incomplete foliation sequence and a complete foliation sequence. The complete sequence is circled in pencil, in the top-right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio, and runs from 1 on the front cover, to 324 on the inside back cover. The following foliation anomalies occur: f.1 is followed by f.1a-f.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/649
- Title
- ‘File 86/2 I (C 30) Bahrain Oil Concession (Eastern & General Syndicate)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 1ar:1fv, 2r:3v, 4v:26v, 27v:32v, 34v:36v, 37v:56v, 57v:59v, 60v:76v, 77v:100v, 101v:109v, 111v:112v, 114v, 132v:139v, 141v, 155v, 175v:183v, 184v:189v, 190v:205v, 210v:216v, 250v:259v, 261v:269v, 270v:276r, 277r:287r, 288r:304v, 305v:306r, 307r:323v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence