'File 8/16 Bahrain Intelligence Summaries' [‎158r] (315/330)

3
been introduced into the lubricating system and that a handful
•f emery abrasive had been placed on the piston head in one
of the cylinders# There seemedito be two schools of thought
with regard to the perpetrators if the outrage, the management
of the Company holding the view that it was undoubtedly the
work of the rather rough Persian element who had been recruited
recently for semi-skilled labour, while the Security Officer
took the view that the Persians would not be capable of the
intelligence and forethought required nor did they know where
to obtain the abrasive and that it was probably the work of
a non-Asiatic. The Bahrain Petroleum Company f s private police
were investigating and the Security Officer was also giving
considerable attention to the matter.
The Arabian American Oil company# Dhahran.
Reference paragraph No#194 of Intelligence Summary No#21
®f 1944#
On the 22nd the Assistant 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. , Captain*
MiP.O’C* Tandy, went to Dhahran to investigate the living iondi-
tions, &c*, of the Indian ex-employees of the Arabian American
Oil company who were awaiting repatriation via Bahrain to
India./ The Assistant 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. interviewed the men at
Al Kh#bar and examined their accommodation which he considered
adequate and did his best to persuade them to accept the very
generous scale of rations which the Company are now prepared
to give them with an additional cash payment of Re.l/- a day for
the purpose of buying meat and fish. However the men refused
point blank to have anything to do with the Company or to be
beholden in any way to the Company. On the Assistant Political
Agent’s return on the 23rd he recommended that the Indians
should be brought *ver to Bahrain as early as possible as
they appeared to be gradually becoming mentally deranged and
were suffering from a persecution complex# Accommodation was
arranged for them in tents through the courtesy of the British
Overseas Airways corporation and the men were brought over to
Bahrain on the 30th. They are accepting the rations which
are provided for them by the Arabian American Oil Company’s
agents in Bahrain.
205. Cigarettes
On the 27th Mr. S.A. Masood, the representative from
India of the British American Tobacco company, had an interviev/
with 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 which he discussed the difficulties
which their agent here was experiencing. 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.
pointed out to Mr. Masood that the administration had had a
great deal of trouble with Aujan the British American Tobacco
Company’s agent and that he was very strongly suspected of
having smuggled considerable quantities of cigarettes out of
Bahrain, and that his private fortune had increased by several
hundred per cent during the course of the last three years.
Mr. Masood was concerned with regard to the quality of some 2%
million Wills’ cigarettes which he stated he was unable to sell
locally and asked for an export permit. It was pointed out to
him that export permits for quota goods cannot be granted and
that his company had failed to import any cigarettes at all f#r
several months and if export was permitted then the stocks
of cigarettes in Bahrain would be depleted to a very serious
extent. He was requested to endeavour to keep his imports
uptodate as the present conduct of the firm inclined one to the
belief that they were keeping the islands short so that the
inhabitants would be forced to buy the unsatisfactory brand
which they had insisted on their agent importing. Mr. Masood
raised the question of imports from America and he was told
/that