File 1421/1908 Pt 1 'Persia: oil; D'Arcy Oil Syndicate' [‎249v] (20/218)

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Dated the 15th February 1909.
Demi-officiaHrom— Captain D. L. R. Lorimir, His Britannic Majesty's Consul
To— Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., 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. .
I forward, enclosed, a letter which I have received from Mr RpvnnM
relative to the acquisition of land on Abadan Island for the Oil Syndicate^
2. Before Mr Reynolds left London it was the wish of the Directors that
the matter should be placed in your own hands, but Mr. Reynolds doe* w
i “ i '" ' r, “ se<i ° r ”" t - h * » “Jij
3. The idea that the land can be acquired in such a wav as to honri™; i
the Sheikh as to the identity of the real purchaser is of course puerife and
absurd. It would liaye been so in any case, as no one but the SyndirafB
could possibly be purchasers, and the Sheikh would never sell unless he knew fnr
what purpose the land was wanted, and had assurance that the Persian Go™™
ment would raise no objection. To make doubly sure, however, they bunded
the secrecy of the despatch of an Agent from Burma to examine the ground^
There is not the slightest doubt that the Sheikh and Haji Rais are ea^erlv
awaiting the opening of negotiations. ^ erl ^
The Syndicate’s requirements are public knowledge, and it has only been
possible to introduce an element of doubt as to whether they will establish
their export base at Muhammerah or, say, at Bandar Dilam. establish
ru 1 \ ■ Rais are ’ 1 am sure y° u will agree with me
1 4 o e uM t °hp e n dlffiCU t and P rotracted ’ it seems very desirable that they
should be commenced as soon as possible, before the material for the 2
line arrives and the work has to be begun. 1 the pl P e
5. It seems to me that, secrecy being out of the •
reason why the Syndicate should not bear tbeir own burdens and them a! n °
open the negotiations, only appealing to you when the ^iLble SS
occurs. But of this you are as able to judge as I. deadlock
Dated the 14th February 1909.
From—G. B. Reynolds, Esq.,
To-Captain D. L. It. Loeimeu, His Britannic Majesty’s Consul, AW.
As I have reason to believe that it is tho wich ,vp ^ • • i a , a .
if possible, the good offices of Maior in b i • Principajs to obtain,
they require at Mohum’ra for their Refinerv a t ^ lem ^ obtain the land
they Sed IVyou wUl 1 W H “fl?® ^ tracir ‘S which land which
“y last whkh l inelLf ,' 7 kt Gr fr ° m “y Principals dated 7th Janu-
na'me any one connecTed vlhZZndlnMnlT^’ ^ tl° n0t wish . the
exceeded, will be difficult to arrive at ’ .. IS , laid do "; n ' should notbe
purchase without giving away tlie mtmS 14 be P 0SSlnle to effect the
from any restriefinno ...ft,. ‘ cntion of the purchaser and his freedom
iiorn any lesinctions as to transfer of the nronpptv n u u r
cannot say, but if such be not feasible, the Z 'L^ J he h ;" ll,ls 1 0n V
terms of the clause 3 above alluded to. be ac< 3 Uired under the
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