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File 1855/1904 Pt 5 'Koweit: Coal depot.' [‎17r] (42/374)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (183 folios). It was created in 24 Apr 1905-7 Feb 1917. 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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Accompaniments to Government letter, Public Works Department, No. 9260,.
dated 19th August 1915.
No. C.—6465, dated Kardchi, 2nd July 1915.
From—A. F. Thorpe, Esq., Executive Engineer, Karachi Buildings District ;
To—The Superintending Engineer, Indus Right Bank Division.
With reference to correspondence ending with your No. C.—3299, dated 2nd June
1915, I have the honour to inform you that the Anglo-Persian Oil Company who were
addressed under this office No. 4007, dated 1st May 1915, to tender for the pier at
Koweit, though reminded several times, did not send their final reply till 12th June
1915, which reached this office on 21st June 1915. A copy of their letter is attached.
The plans and estimates referred to by them did not reach this office till the 25th June
last, and then the abstract and measurement sheet of the pier were missing. On being
wired again they state that they would be able to tender in 3 weeks’ time and that they
have posted the missing pages of the estimate. I rather doubt whether we shall receive
the tender after 3 weeks and even if we do, their rates may not be favourable.
2. I, therefore, asked Haji Mahomed Hassan, Contractor, referred to in this office
No. 4008 of 3rd May 1915 to your address, to tender for the work, and though he
showed reluctance to go to such a long distance for the works, he has given tenders for
the undermentioned works which I send herewith for favour of your acceptance at a
very early date and return so that orders may be given to the contractor, who is shortly
starting for the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , to make arrangements for starting the works :
(a) Constructing a rubble stone pier at Koweit.
{b) Constructing Servants’ quarters at Koweit.
The estimates were prepared as far back as 1911 and the cost of labour and materials
have since then risen. The rates tendered by the contractor are, I think fair and
reasonable considering this fact.
3. This contractor as stated in my No. 4008 of 3rd May is already working as a
contractor for Wireless Station at Henjam in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and is a very reliable
man and I strongly recommend him for the works at the rates tendered by him. I may
state that I searched for some other contractor, but no one is willing to go there.
pier as will be seen from the items put in the tender consists only of stone
1^ rT he i-U r JU ujjc ucuuci uuusisus ouiy 01 Slone
worn, it is, therefore, not necessary to wait for Anglo-Persian Oil Company’s tender for
the reasons given in paragraph 1 above. This contractor, viz., Haji Mahomed Hassan
will be able to do it within the time stipulated for its construction.
5. The only works that will remain to be arranged for are as under:
(a) Coal shed.
(b) Fencing.
These consist mostly of iron work and an indent on England for the same is in
hand and will be submitted shortly. They can be put in hand only when the iron
work arrives. J
6. As the pier is to be completed before the arrival of the iron work, early orders
to commence the work as per tender submitted may please be given.
7. An application for local purchase of iron work for
submitted shortly.
servants’ quarters will be
7(<z). The amounts that will be required for expenditure
paragraph 2 above during 1915-16 will be as under
on works referred to
in
(а) Pier
(б) Servants’ quarters
Rs.
7,890
8,490
16,380
8. As the works referred to in paragraph 5 above cannot be started before arrival
oi tue iron work, I do not think any amount can be usefully spent on them this year.

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Content

The volume contains part 5 of the subject 'Koweit' [Kuwait].

The principal correspondents are 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. (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Zachariah Cox); 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 (Major Stuart George Knox, later Captain William Henry Irvine Shakespear); the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station (Rear-Admiral Edmond John Warre Slade); the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; the Public Works Department, Bombay Castle; and senior officials at the Foreign Office, 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. , the Government of India, and the Admiralty.

The papers cover: the proposal (made by Sir Nicholas Roderick O'Conor, British Ambassador at Constantinople) to establish a coal depot at Kuwait after the withdrawal by the Government of the Ottoman Empire from British steamship companies of coaling privileges at Basra, and the move rendered unnecessary after the restoration of those privileges, April-August 1905, (ff 158-181); the proposal by 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. (Cox) to replace the coal depot for British naval ships at Bushire with one at Kuwait, May 1907 - January 1908 (ff 153-157); the selection by the Government of India of a suitable site at Kuwait (with maps and plans, folios 125, 126, 128), and the approval of the Admiralty and Foreign Office, July 1908 - August 1910 (ff 106-152); further correspondence, plans, and estimates, including a memorandum dated 31 March 1911 (ff 88-94) by the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station (Slade), criticising plans for the proposed coal depot as being on too large a scale, and the proposal deferred pending the outcome of negotiations with the Turkish Government, August 1910 - May 1913 (ff 36-105); Foreign Office approval for the immediate transfer of the coal depot from Bushire to Kuwait, January-August 1915 (ff 15-35); and the decision by the Government of India to postpone the transfer until the end of the [First World] war, November-December 1916 (ff 3-14).

Each part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

The date range gives the covering dates of all the documents in the volume, including the Secret (later Political and Secret) Department minute/reference papers, which are dated 1905-17.

Extent and format
1 volume (183 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

The subject 1855 (Koweit [Kuwait]) consists of five volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/47-51. The volumes are divided into ten parts, with parts 1 and 2 comprising one volume, parts 3 and 4 comprising the second volume, part 5 comprising the third volume, parts 6, 7, and 8 comprising the fourth volume, and parts 9 and 10 comprising the fifth volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 181; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.

Written in
English in Latin script
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File 1855/1904 Pt 5 'Koweit: Coal depot.' [‎17r] (42/374), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/49, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100026536903.0x00002b> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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