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'CONFIDENTIAL VOL. B.58. 86/7-X P.C.L. TRUCIAL COAST' [‎17r] (38/408)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (200 folios). It was created in 30 Dec 1938-8 Apr 1941. 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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( 4 )/-
J anuary 13 th, 1939
Abu Dhabi,
Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .
Petroleum Concessions Limited,
London.
In continuation of my letters of Jan. 3rd (personal)
to Mr. Skliros and Jan. 6th'.
2. The situation at Abu Dhabi, in the matter of
obtaining a reasonable Concession, appeared very unfavour
able up to the 9th. instant. The family of the Shaikh
were, from behind the scenes, believed to be very anxious
that he should reach agreement with the Company after pre
vious failures to do so; and I did not hesitate to drop
hints of generous presents to them in that event. Shaikh
Shakhbut himself, however, seemed to be still fixed in
demands which must put any hope of agreement completely
out of sight: these, reiterated again and again, included
an initial payment of Hs. 475,000 and the same sum annually
thereafter; the continuance of a very high dead-rent after
the payment of royalties had begun; a representative in
London on a high salary; and drilling compulsory within
2 years of signature, and Royalty at the rate of Rs 3/8
per ton.
3. Needless to say evert^ possible argument was developed
to show the unreasonableness of these demands, and to lead
the Shaikh back to a scale more in accordance with our agree
ments with other Arab rulers.
4. A sudden change in the situation, which by then
appeared hopeless, occurred on the 9th, apparently in con-
sequence of (1) pressure by the Shaikhs brothers and other
relations, gradually wearing him down; (2) the announcement
qgpfaMmmnMi
of my departure within 2 days, followed by the conspicuous
loading of a van with stores for Dubai; (3) the Shaikh*s
hope that an agreement would be gratifying to the Political
authorities, whose better opinion he would gladly have;
/V
e-

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Content

The volume contains correspondence between 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Trenchard Craven Fowle, Charles Geoffrey Prior), 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 Bahrain (Hugh Weightman, Reginald George Alban), 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. (John Percival Gibson, Roland Tennyson Peel), the Foreign Office (Lacy Baggallay, Harry Maurice Eyres), the Petroleum Department (Frederick Charles Starling), Admiralty (Clifford George Jarrett) and Petroleum Development ( Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ) Limited (Ernest Vincent Packer, Basil Henry Lermitte, John Skliros, H H Wheatley) regarding progress with oil concessions on the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .

Discussion centres primarily on concession agreements for Abu Dhabi and Kalba [Kalbā] which had been obtained by Petroleum Development ( Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ) in 1938/1939, and the omitted clauses and rewording of the concession agreement which had been undertaken in an attempt to simplify the process. Also discussed are the political agreements between the company and His Majesty’s Government for each concession which would no longer require approval by the ruler of the state and discussing amended clauses to incorporate this decision.

In relation to the Kalba concession matters discussed included ensuring sufficient safeguards and guarantees were in place to protect Shaikh Hamad bin Sa’id [Ḥamad bin Sa‘īd Āl Qasimī], who was a minor, and his state whilst it was under the rulership of Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmad bin Sultan [Khalid bin Aḥmad bin Sulṭān Āl Qasimī] as Regent. A copy of the Abu Dhabi Concession agreement can be found at folios 134-140 and Political agreement at folios 160-16; copies of the Kalba political agreement can be found at folios 64-69 and 164-165.

Other matters discussed in the volume include:

A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 192-198.

Extent and format
1 volume (200 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a table of contents on folio 4 comprising of subject headings and page references. 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, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 5-191; these numbers are also written in pencil, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence, but they are not circled. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'CONFIDENTIAL VOL. B.58. 86/7-X P.C.L. TRUCIAL COAST' [‎17r] (38/408), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/680, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025448308.0x000027> [accessed 14 May 2024]

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