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'File 12/1 [1 A/1 I] Persian Claims to Bahrain' [30r] (64/502)
The record is made up of 1 file (249 folios). It was created in 4 Nov 1933-21 Apr 1946. It was written in English, Farsi, French 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.
r s
i
37
Assignment of Bahrein Oil Concession to American Interests,
J 1930. Fresh Persian Protest.
140 On 9.3rd July 1930, the oil concession granted to P- 572:3 30
the Eastern and General Syndicate in 1925 having been
assigned by that Corporation, with the approval oh the
Sheikh and His Majesty’s Government, to an American
subsidiary of the Standard Oil Company of California, a
formal protest against such assignment was received from
the Persian Government, based on the ground that, Bahrem
beino- Persian territory, neither the Sheikh nor His Majesty s
Government had any right to grant a concession. I he
protest reserved the right of Persia to claim damages.
Treaty negotiations were at the time proceeding with 1 ersia,
and it was thought unnecessary to send any reply to this
Note, which was, however, circulated, at the request of the
Persian Government, to the League of Nations.
Discussions between His Majesty’s Government and Persia,
1928-34.
143. Between 1928 and 1934 treaty negotiations, with
a view to the conclusion of a general treaty which should
dispose of outstanding points of difference, were in progress
with Persia, the question of Bahrein figuring prominently in
those negotiations. The general attitude taken by the
Persians was that Bahrein was a poiut of great importance to
them, but that in return for a sufficient quid pro quo they
would be prepared to abandon their claims. His Majesty s
Government on their side consistently maintained that the
Persian claim was worthless, and that while they would gladl}
see it finally disposed of as part of a general settlement, they
would not be prepared to make any specific concession m
return for its abandonment. \ aricus formulae were worked
out in discussion between His Majesty s Representatives in
Tehran and the representatives of the Persian Government
w ith a view to an agreed solution. The negotiations have,
however, failed to reach any conclusion and are at the
moment suspended without any prospect of early resumption.
144. In 1932 the Persian Government protested to His P.Z. 4902/33
Majesty’s Government against the issue of British Indian
postage stamps surcharged “ Bahrein,” and repeated their
protest to the League. Their protest was rejected by IBs
Majesty’s Government, and the stamps issued in August 1933.
On 22nd May 1934 a further protest against the
operation of the Bahrein oil concession was addressed by P.Z. 4343/34
the Persian Government to the United States Minister at
Tehran, the United States Government and His Majesty’s
Government, and copies were circulated at Hie request of
Persia to the League of Nations. Uis Majesty s Government
propose to reply to this communication in a Note dinwing
attention to their Notes of Januar 3 T 1928 and 1 ebruaiy 1J-J
and to request the League of Lations to circulate this iepL
to the States Members of the League.
XIV.—Conclusion.
145. It may be convenient in concluding this memoran
dum on the recent history of Bahrein to summarise very
briefly the claims to sovereignty over the island which have
Been advanced by various countries since 1783 ; the particular
basis of those claims in the case of Persia (whose claim is
alone at the present time of any importance), and the
basis and development of the attitude of His Majesty’s
Government.
A —Claims to or Assertions of Sovereignty over Bahrein,
1873 to 1934.
14G.—(u) Muscat .—Bahrein subject to Muscat 1800-01,
1811? to 1816, 1820-22. Tribute paid to- Muscat 1820.
2953 K
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence between British officials (primarily from the Foreign Office and 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. ) concerning two interrelated topics; the Persian Government's claim to sovereignty over Bahrain and discussions over whether or not Bahrain should be considered part of the British Empire for the purposes of the Import Duties Act of 1932.
The file contains two memoranda concerning the history of Bahrain:
1) 'Historical Memorandum on Bahrein' written by J G Laithwaite of 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. , 1934 (ff 11-34); 2) 'The History of the Bahrein Islands' written by the Foreign Office Research Department, 1945 (ff 217-218).
A number of translations and cuttings of press articles related to the sovereignty of Bahrain (in Faris, Arabic, French and English) are contained in the file.
The file also contains letters in Arabic (with English translations) from the rulers of Qatar (f 155), Bahrain (f 157), Umm al-Quwain (f 165) and Abu Dhabi (f 169), sent to the British 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 in response to a letter informing them that their territories were to be granted 'imperial preference' as per the Import Duties Act, 1932 (f 154).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (249 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 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 also present in parallel between ff 4-230; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superceeded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English, Farsi, French and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/484
- Title
- 'File 12/1 [1 A/1 I] Persian Claims to Bahrain'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:127v, 129r:129v, 131r:139v, 141r:154v, 156r:156v, 158r:164v, 166r:168v, 170r:204v, 206r:218v, 220r:248v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence