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'Confidential D 107 86/5-I Eastern and General Syndicate Ltd. - Saudi Arabia' [‎85r] (174/386)

The record is made up of 1 volume (213 folios). It was created in 5 Mar 1933-30 Jan 1935. It was written in English. 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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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia). ^ 1
CONFIDENTIAL.
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[E 5330/487/25]
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September 12, 1933.
Section 1.
Mr. Calvert to Sir John Simon.—{Received September 12.)
(No. 268.) Jedda, August
’ WITH reference to my despatch No. 235 of the 25th July last, relative to the
fprms of the Hasa Oil Concession gr anted -hy- -the Saudi Arab Government to the
Standard Oil Company of California, I have the honour to report that certain
rumours which ha'dbeen circulating in Jedda during the past few weeks regarding
the payment of the first large sum as a loan to the Government proved in the
main to be correct with the arrival on the 20th August of the sum of £35,000 gold
in English sovereigns. The "specie was' not, however, landed here owing to some
deficiency Tn the shipping documents, but remained on board the Khedivial
steamer, the Talodi, and left with her again the same day for Port
Sudan, whence she is due to return to-day. I understand that shipping
arrangements were made in London through the Haines Line, by one of whose
ships the money was brought to Suez, where it was transhipped into the Khedivial
steamer for Jedda. The documents, instead of being sent to the Dutch bank here
who are charged with the handling of the money, were addressed to the local
ao-ent of the Blue Funnel Line, and were received by him too late for the £3o,00U
gold to be landed at the first visit. It will be landed to-day.
2 That this large sum of money, amounting to over £50,000 sterling at
present rates, is only a loan has been confidently asserted by persons who claim
to have received their information direct from those concerned on behalt of the
company, and the repayment, it is further stated, is to be made gradually against
the eventual royalties received by the Saudi Arab Government. This^ arrange-
mein7it~ctnTectly stated, would therefore be provided for in the special agree
ment,” the terms of which have not so far been disclosed.
3. Mr. K. Twitched, who, in the continued absence of Mr. Hamilton, repre
sents the company here, states that he intends to leave Jedda about the
28th August for the Hasa coast by car. He has been away from the 1st August
on a short tour of inspection, on behalf of the Saudi Government, of the old gold
mines in the Hejaz, which it is believed are by no means worked out, and
returned unannounced on the 14th August, to prepare for the arrival ot t e
company’s consignment of specie to the Saudi Government. ,
4. It is stated here that active ope rations are. contemplated by the Standard
Oil Company of California within the next few weeks, and that oil mining gear
is already well on its way to the Hasa coast by way of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
5. A copy of this despatch is being sent to the Hon. the Political
Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire.
I have, &c.
A. S. CALVERT.
[907 m—1]

About this item

Content

The volume contains correspondence to and from 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, Percy Gordon Loch), 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 (Percy Gordon Loch), and 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 Kuwait (Harold Richard Patrick Dickson) regarding matters in Saudi Arabia and their affect, particularly on Kuwait and Bahrain. The main topic of discussion being a concession in Hasa, Saudi Arabia which was contested by the Standard Oil Company of California and the Iraq Petroleum Company, and was awarded to Standard Oil in July 1933.

The correspondence, primarily between HM's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan) and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir John Simon) includes details of the negotiations and translations of the concession agreement which was published in Umm-al-Qura in July 1933. Also discussed are attempts to obtain information about the special agreement between Standard Oil and the Sa'udi Arab Government which was not published and which contained details of the exact values of the concession, the area covered by it, and a clause relating to the Kuwait-Najd neutral zone concession. Later correspondence also discusses the progress being made by Standard Oil in developing their concession.

Other matters discussed in the file include:

  • correspondence from 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 Kuwait regarding rumours that the Shaikh of Kuwait (Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ) travelled to Najd to meet with Ibn Saud (‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd), King of Saudi Arabia, or one of his close advisers to discuss matters including a potential alleviation of the blockade on Kuwait and their joining forces in regards to the oil concession agreement in the neutral zone (ff 6-17);
  • a memorandum written by the Petroleum Department about Petroleum in Arabia which covers the topics: Petroleum prospects in Arabia, interested or potentially interested companies, past concessions affecting Saudi Arabia, the present position. The memorandum includes brief summaries of all the key oil companies and interested parties in oil concessions in Arabia (ff 90-91);
  • correspondence regarding the prohibition on private planes flying to Bahrain and a request by the Standard Oil Company of California to use Bahrain as their base of operations during their survey of Hasa which was denied, and the eventual decision to allow Standard Oil's aeroplane to land at Bahrain should there be a serious medical emergency involving either their staff or those of the Mesopotamia-Persia corporation (ff 112, 131-133, 155-156, 173-175);
  • a record of an interview which Frederick Charles Starling of the Mines Department had with Edmund William Janson of the Eastern and General Syndicate Limited in which Eastern and General's interest in a possible concession in Asir was discussed along with their activities in regard to previous concessions (ff 147-149).

A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 179-187.

Extent and format
1 volume (213 folios)
Arrangement

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 6-192; these numbers are also written in pencil, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence, but they are not circled.

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English in Latin script
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'Confidential D 107 86/5-I Eastern and General Syndicate Ltd. - Saudi Arabia' [‎85r] (174/386), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/667, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025704695.0x0000af> [accessed 23 April 2024]

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