‘File 28/35 Denial programme Qatar’ [129r] (262/746)
The record is made up of 1 file (365 folios). It was created in 5 Jun 1935-31 Dec 1943. 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.
BENTLEY’S SECOND PHRASE
’ETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT (QATAR) LIMITED
To H.B.M.’s
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.
, —
Bahrain. /^/VyV
Sir,
SUSPENSION OF OIL OPERATIONS - QATAR
1. We have the honour to refer to your letter D.O.No.
C/1392 dated the 14th September 1942 forwarding a letter
from the Ruler of Qatar dated the 8 th Shaban 1361 (21st
August 1942)•
2. From the Ruler f s letter it was seen that there were
two main points on which agreement had still to be reached
to which the Ruler attached primary importance.
(a) Number of guards to be retained. (Tbe Ruler was
very insistent that there should be no reduction
in the present number).
3. As a result of a discussion between Mr. Wakefield and
Mr. Packer (the local Manager, Petroleum Development (Qatar)
Limited) on the 27th October 1942, it was agreed that, in
their opinion, little useful purpose could be served by
prolonging the argument with the Ruler, and the stage had
been reached at which the Managing Director in London should
be asked for authority to concede these two points. It was
felt that although perhaps the Ruler’s above two demands
were hardly logical, they were not really excessive in all
the circumstances. The undermentioned telegrams were there
fore exchanged, from which it will be seen that the Company
agrees to the retention of all the guards and, in principle,
BAHREIN
PERSIAN GULF
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
Q/Sec/3278
SECRET
18th November, 1942
(b) Provision of water transport at Company expense to
carry mails between Bahrain and Zekrit once a week
(p .
G. /• A-. L.
A'i. cj/0 4, *4 ■ /v//''
About this item
- Content
The volume contains copies of letters, agreements and other papers relating to the temporary cessation in 1942 of oil operations undertaken by Petroleum Development (Qatar) Limited (PDQ) in Qatar, in response to events in the Second World War, and negotiations over an agreement between the Ruler of Qatar and 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 for the cessation of operations, and continued payment of the concession and other costs. The volume’s principal correspondents are 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 (Edward Birkbeck Wakefield, superseded by Major Tom Hickinbotham in October 1943); the Manager of PDQ (Ernest Vincent Packer, also in the file as chief correspondent for Petroleum Concessions Limited (PCL)); the Ruler of Qatar (Shaikh ‘Abdullāh bin Jāsim Āl Thānī).
The volume includes:
- a telegraphic instruction from the Under Secretary of State for India, dated 19 June 1942, informing of the Commander-in-Chief Middle East’s decision to plug all oil wells in Qatar and suspend drilling operations, ‘for reasons connected with the War Effort’ (f 10);
- a copy of a report marked Most Secret, detailing the oil denial proposals for PDQ’s operations in Qatar, prepared by Major E Boaden of the Royal Engineers, and dated 23 May 1942 (ff 19-20);
- correspondence dated June to July 1942, relating to the plugging and junking of oil wells in the Qatar oil field, and evacuation of oil and water supply equipment, under orders received by the Tenth Army (ff 45-53, ff 67-69);
- correspondence relating to arrangements to transfer oil drilling equipment from Qatar to Karachi;
- correspondence between PDQ/PCL, 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, and the Ruler of Qatar, relating to the protracted negotiation of terms for the suspension of oil operations in Qatar, chiefly concerning: retention and pay of guards to protect oil company property; salaries for the Ruler of Qatar’s representatives and the Director of Customs at Zekrit [Zikrīt, also referred to in correspondence as Zekhrit]; rent of the oil company’s house (Company House) in Doha [occasionally referred to as Dohah], and employment of servants; supply and use of the Company’s ice machine, water pump; provision of communications between Doha and Dukhan; maintenance of a launch between Zekrit and Bahrain;
- correspondence relating to the method of continued concession payments to the Ruler of Qatar: chiefly in the form of discussion over whether the payments should be in silver rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. , preferred by the Ruler but potentially difficult to supply, or in paper currency through the Eastern Bank Limited;
- multiple copies of the draft agreement of terms between the Ruler of Qatar and 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;
- correspondence dated October and November 1943 relating to arrangements for 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 to visit Doha and the Ruler of Qatar, in order to conclude the suspension of operations agreement;
- a copy of the original agreement between the Ruler of Qatar and 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, dated 23 November 1943, setting out payments and facilities to be provided by PDQ during the suspension of operations in Qatar (in English and Arabic, with the latter signed by the Ruler of Qatar and Major Tom Hickinbotham, ff 336-338).
While the volume’s correspondence begins in in May and June 1942, an extract of an earlier letter 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. , dated 5 June 1935 (f 6) provides the earlier date indicated in this catalogue entry’s date range.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (365 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest item at the front to the latest at the end. The file notes at the end of the volume (ff 350-368) mirror the chronological arrangement.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 371; 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 incomplete foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 163-349; these numbers are also written in pencil, but 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 View the complete information for this record
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‘File 28/35 Denial programme Qatar’ [129r] (262/746), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/729, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025797598.0x00003f> [accessed 29 March 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/729
- Title
- ‘File 28/35 Denial programme Qatar’
- Pages
- 36r:36v, 43r:43v, 60r:61v, 67r:67v, 70r:74v, 102r:102v, 104r:104v, 129r:133v, 150r:151v, 152r:159v, 201r:201v, 207r:209v, 219r:220v, 237r:239v, 291r:292v, 301r:302v, 310r:310v, 341r:341v
- Author
- Packer, Ernest Vincent
- Usage terms
- The copyright status is unknown. Please contact copyright@bl.uk with any information you have regarding this item.