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'14/115 IV B. 7. Abu Musa' [‎70r] (148/571)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (281 folios). It was created in 6 Feb 1908-24 Nov 1908. 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. .

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33
It maybe the case that the contract was concluded without the knowledge
of the Sheikh. Meanwhile there is no reason why this contract should have
required the approval of the Sheikh, as it was merely a legal and purely
business transaction.
It does not appear to be the case that the contract was concluded without
the agreement of one of the partners of the Company, Isa-bin-Abdul Latif, as
the managing pnrtner Samaye informed Isa's father Abdul Latif, who represented
his son in all matters concerning the Company, at once of the conclusion of the
contract, and the latter approved the contract in his reply (Inclosure 6).
According to a later letter of the father, Abdul Latif (Inclosure 8), his son Isa
appears to recognize the contract as legally valid, although he would have liked
to have seen it before its conclusion, as he describes its abrogation simply as
" preferable," and in the next letter of Abdul Latif senior (Inclosure 10) the
latter says definitely that he had originally approved the contract on behalf of
his son»
Even if one of the partners desires to attack the validity of the contract of
1906 by stating that it required his consent, which had not been obtained, yet
it is impossible to see how this gives the Sheikh the right to abrogate by force
the lease of 1898 granted by his uncle Salem.
This would appear, therefore, to be a question of a purely arbitrary, and,
from the leiral point of view, absolutely indefensible proceeding on the part of
the Sheikh of Shargah against the lessors* Company.
This illegal action affects directly the German firm R. Wonckhuus and Co.
as partners in the Company, and is not a claim raised by the German firm
against the other partners in the Company.
Their complaint is based on their own rights as partners in the Company,
and it will be the Sheikh's duty to compensate the German partner as well as
the other partners in the Company, who are British subjects, for his illegal
action.
The losses which have accrued to the Company are very considerable, as
they cannot evade the obligations assumed by them in the above-mentioned
contracts (Inclosures 5 and 19), especially in the contract (Inclosure 5) con
cluded in 1906 with the German Herr Wonckhaus, which contract appears to
have caused the Sheikh to commit bis act of aggression. Through this contract
immediate losses are incurred by the Company, as they have been prevented by
the forcible measures of the Sheikh from delivering 2,000 tons of iron oxide to
Herr Wonckhaus which had already been extracted, and which ought to have
been shipped weeks ago. Further losses will be caused by the fact that the
Company is not in a position to extract at the proper time the quantities of
iron oxide which they must keep ready for the deliveries due in the coming
months. As Herr Wonckhaus, on his side, has already resold the iron oxide
to his shipper, and now in order to fulfil this obligation must buy iron oxide
elsewhere at a high price, it is obvious that the loss accruing to the Company
through the counter-claim of Herr Wonckhaus amounts to a large sum, and
will be greatly increased by any further prevention of the working of the
mines.
The Imperial Government consider therefore that it is urgently necessary
to settle the matter at once and think that the British Government will agree
with them, in view of the fact that the other partners of the Company, who
are suffering equally from the arbitrary action of the Sheikh, are British
subjects.
In the first place, it will be necessary that the Sheikh of Shargah, in
order to avoid further losses, should, without delay, allow the Company to
work the iron oxide mines on the island of Abu Musa.
Later on it will be necessary to deal with the question of compensation
for the losses suffered by the Company.
It will also be necessary to consider whether the circumstance that
armed men of the Sheikh's fired on employes of Wonckhaus who wished
to land on the island requires special reparation on the part of the Sheikh.
Mr. Thomas Brown, whose life was seriously endangered, is, as already stated,

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Content

Correspondence concerning Abu Musa island. Correspondence discusses British memorandum of 1908; the German case relating to their mining operations; the Persian claim to Abu Musa, Sirri and Tunb [Tumb]; the role of Hassan bin Samaiyah and the contract with the German company Wonckhaus. Corrrespondents include the 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. Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; Frank C. Strick and Co.; German Consulate, Bandar Abbas; H.M. Consulate Bandar Abbas; Deputy Secretary to the Government of India; Khan Bakadur Abdur Latif [Khan Bahadur Abd al-Latif], 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. Agent Sharjah; Khalid bin Ahmad, Sheikh of Sharjah.

Extent and format
1 volume (281 folios)
Arrangement

An index at the front of the file gives subjects covered by the file.

Physical characteristics

This volume has three foliation sequences. The first begins with the first letter and runs from number 1 through to number 55. There follows a gap of one folio, and then a second foliation sequence starts on the verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. side of what would have been number 56 in the first foliation sequence. This sequence is inconsistent in that it is paginated from number 56 up to number 109, where it then lapses back into foliation and runs through to number 332, the last typescript folio. The third and most recent foliation sequence begins on the first typescript folio, which is loose. It runs from number 1 through to number 281, which is the inside of the back cover. It should be noted that folio 60 in this sequence is followed by folio 60 A, which is then followed by number 61. The first foliation sequence is written in blue and red crayon, in the top right corner of each folio. The second foliation sequence (which contains some pagination) is written in pencil, in the top right corner of each folio (and in the top left corner of the verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. side of those folios that are paginated). The third foliation sequence, which should be used for cataloguing, is written and circled in pencil, in the top right corner of each folio.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'14/115 IV B. 7. Abu Musa' [‎70r] (148/571), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/256, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100024060030.0x000095> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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