Skip to item: of 1,004
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

‘File 28/4 Trading with the enemy’ [‎73r] (150/1004)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 volume (498 folios). It was created in 24 Nov 1939-4 Jul 1941. 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. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

[20760—5] c *
1 he provisions of sub-section '2 of section 2 of the Trading with the Enemy Act, intercourse
with whom is a criminal offence. The Black List is a confidential list of persons or firms,
intercourse with whom is prevented, whenever possible, by administrative action, and
discouraged by advice to banks and traders that virtually amounts to prohibition.
.Both lists provide the Contraband Control authorities with a ready means of identifying
shipments which are to be regarded as highly suspect.
The Statutory List is perhaps the more effective instrument for achieving objects (a)
an( * (")» j )U t th e Black List is probably more effective for securing object (c), since being
confidential, the Black List is less likely to lead to the creation of “ cloaks ” or * * men-of-
straw, w ho may be difficult to trace. For these reasons, the Statutory List is the principal
list of undesirable traders in countries not bordering on the enemy, 'while the Black List
(of which the main purpose is the more limited one of preventing goods reaching people
who will pass them on to the enemy or who will handle enemy exports) should be the
principal list of undesirable traders in European countries. To some extent, however, the
Statutory List will be used in European countries (in particular for well-known enemy-
controlled firms, so as to warn British traders with whom they must not trade, see
paragraph o (<z) below), while the Black List wdll also be used in overseas countries
(e.g., against consignors known to have evaded our contraband control). The Black List
may also be preferable to the Statutory List for reasons connected with the War Trade
Agreements which are in course of being made with certain European countries.
A subsidiary but nevertheless important weapon is the Suspect List (which will differ
essentially from the Preliminary Suspect List so far issued). The Suspect List proper, while
of itself carrying no disabilities, will serve—
(a) to warn the Censors and War Trade Keporting Officers that a particularly close
investigation is required of the names on that list; and
(b) to warn the Contraband and Enemy Export Committees and Export Licensing
Department that there is a case for some suspicion against consignments under
such names, though not of itself justifying detention or other penalty.
a.—THE BLACK LIST COMMITTEE’S WORK.
The Black List Committee’s work has up to now been mainly devoted to compiling the
Statutory List, which now comprises firms carrying on business in most foreign countries,
this w-ork will be continued. The Black List, at present, contains only about 100 names.
The Black List Committee is now giving urgent attention to the compilation ot a compre
hensive Black List. At the same time the Black List Section of the Ministry is carrying
out a complete reorganisation of the Suspect List.
4.—COMPILATION OF THE BLACK LIST.
His Majesty’s Missions are now asked to submit names of the most important consignors
and consignees in each neutral country (as w r ell as important firms engaged in shipping or
insurance business) who are known to have been engaged extensively in trade with the enemy
since the outbreak of war, specifying as far as possible the nature of the trade and the
types of commodity concerned in each case. Missions are asked to concentrate in the first
instance upon furnishing the names of the most important suppliers and forwarding agents
of commodities in which the enemy is deficient. A list of such commodities is given in
Annex I. Suggestions for the guidance of War Trade Reporting Officers in preparing reports
for submission to the Ministry are contained in Annex II.

About this item

Content

The file comprises copies of printed circulars and notices issued by the British Government, memoranda and letters issued by the Government of India, and copies of correspondence to and from the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Bahrain, relating to trade with countries and territories regarded as the enemy, or the trade in goods from countries regarded as the enemy, during the Second World War.

The British Government circulars and notices include: multiple copies of the Statutory Rules and Orders booklet, produced by the Board of Trade, entitled Trading with the Enemy: Specified Persons , each copy being an expanded and updated version of its predecessor; the escalating nature of war in Europe throughout 1940 meaning the list of countries regarded as being the enemy (either through joining the war as an Axis power or by being occupied by an Axis power) was continually in need of update. The booklets list, alphabetically by country and by name, those persons (or companies) and their address, regarded as being an enemy. Some booklets record amendments to the list, under the headings of additions, deletions and modifications. The last copy of the booklet in the volume (ff 379-416) details seventy-five pages of companies deemed by the Trading with the Enemy Act (1939) as an enemy (ff 15-17, 71-77, 258); circulars from the Ministry of Economic Warfare, relating to Statutory, Black List and Suspect List policy; a circular from the Ministry of Warfare, February 1940, concerning the Trading with the Enemy Act (1939) in relation to insurance, insurance with enemy companies, and including a list of enemy marine insurance companies (ff 428-438).

Government of India memoranda and correspondence includes: an order, dated 17 June 1940, for the detention of ships bound for ports in the Red Sea (f 144); a notice, dated 21 June 1940, on exports to the Dutch East Indies (f 147); a prohibition, dated 30 June 1940, on all exports to French territory (f 169); a notice, dated 17 April 1940, that goods from Denmark be regarded as of enemy origin (f 175); a warning, dated 21 June 1940, on possible channels used to transport goods to Germany, in particular raw materials, including through the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (ff 177-179); a memorandum, dated 4 July 1941, announcing the creation of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. War Trade Bureau, attached to the Commerce Department of the Government of India (ff 480-481).

Correspondence to and from the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Bahrain includes: a letter 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. to the Ruler of Bahrain, Sheikh Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah, dated 13 December 1939, announcing the prohibition in Bahrain of trade with German companies or German goods (ff 10-11); the appointment of 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, in December 1939, as Custodian of Enemy Property, under the Bahrain Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. of 1913 (ff 14, 24); a printed copy of a notice 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. , Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior, dated 16 November 1939, entitled Trading with the Enemy Regulations made under the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. States (Emergency) Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. 1939 (ff 41-42); in April 1940, correspondence and official notices concerning trade with Denmark or in Danish goods (ff 80-85, 91-94, 110); in June 1940, correspondence and official notices concerning trade with Italy or in Italian goods (ff 139-140, 148); letters from several merchants in Bahrain, enquiring after the status and whereabouts of Italian goods ordered before Italy’s entry into the war; correspondence and notices relating to trade with French Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, Rumania [Romania], Bulgaria, Hungary and Greece; and general enquiries relating to trade at Bahrain, made by 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. to the Director of Customs at Bahrain, Claud Cranbrook Lewis deGrenier.

Extent and format
1 volume (498 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 482-496) mirror the chronological arrangement.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 500; 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. Two envelopes which have been attached to f 5 have been labelled f 5A and f 5B respectively. An additional mixed foliation/pagination sequence is also present in parallel between ff 6-481; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Pagination: the file notes at the back (ff 482-496) have been paginated using pencil. A number of booklets contained within the file also have original printed pagination sequences.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

‘File 28/4 Trading with the enemy’ [‎73r] (150/1004), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/678, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100029179927.0x000097> [accessed 20 April 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100029179927.0x000097">‘File 28/4 Trading with the enemy’ [&lrm;73r] (150/1004)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100029179927.0x000097">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000241.0x000047/IOR_R_15_2_678_0151.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000241.0x000047/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image