File 1421/1908 Pt 3 'Persia: oil; negotiations between the Shaikh of Mohammerah and the Anglo-Persian Oil Co.' [‎278v] (122/338)

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No. 723 , dated the 16 th July 1910 .
From— Lieutenant A. T. Wilson, I.A., Acting Consul,
To—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. , Bushire, Mohammerah.
I have the honour to forward copies of the marginally noted correspondence
(l) Consul to Company, demi-official dated 16th 00 the Subject of the proposal of the
June.
(a) Company to Consul, 16th July.
of Mohammerah at Ahwaz.
AnoJo-Persian Oil Company to commence
boring for oil in the territories of the Shaikh
Dated Mohammerah, the 16 th June 1910 .
From— Lieutenant A. T. Wilson, I.A., Acting Consul,
To— Mr. John Black, Manager, Lloyd Scott and Company, Limited.
With reference to the proposed commencement of drilling by you in the
Shaikh’s territories near Ahwaz, I have discussed the question with Colonel Cox
at Bushire.
I think it desirable that before you take any active steps you should write to
me officially stating precisely what your proposals are and on what lines you
desire to conclude an agreement, bearing in mind that the bhaikh is fully cogni
zant of the terms of the Bakhtiari Agreement of 1905, and is at present quite
alive to the fact that they have got ^5,000 and about ^3,000 a year by bluff
ing you and persistently opposing your work, whereas he has got £650 a year
only by helping you and doing all that is possible to prevent your work being
hampered. s
Dated Mohammerah, the 13 th July 1910 .
From— Mr. JOHN BLACK, Manager, Lloyd Scott and Company, Limited,
To—His Majesty's Acting Consul for Arabistan, Mohammerah.
We have the honour to refer to your demi-official letter to Mr. Black of the
16th ultimo, and to inform you in reply thereto that we propose some time this
year, we cannot yet definitely say when, to erect one derrick with rig, with
steam bpiler and engine, and most probably a workshop for tools and spares, at a
spot which we will in due course select in the Ahwaz hills. There we will put
down an experimental bore hole with the object of discovering whether there is
any oil in that locality.
We hold that we are entitled to carry out the above indicated experimental
works by virtue of the rights given us under this Company’s concession from the
Persian Government without making any lease or agreement at all with the Shaikh
of Mohammerah. Our work will of necessity be carried out on uncultivated
ground and will interfere with nobody.
With regard to your verbal suggestion that we should agree to give the
Shaikh the 3 per cent of the ordinary shares of any Company which may be
formed to produce oil hereafter as a result of the above experimental work, we
are in consultation with our Directors with cable, and will advise you of their
views in due course.
Our belief is that our Directors will readily agree to such a proposal.
No. 906 , dated Mohammerah, the 27 th August 1910 .
From—L ieutenant A. T. Wilson, I.A., Acting Consul,
To—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. , Bushire.
1 have the honour to refer to the correspondence ending with my No. 723
(0 Company to Consul, dated 25th August 1910. ^th July regarding the proposal of the
August! w°th C e°ndS; No ' 9031 dated 85th 0il Com Pany to bore for oil at Ahwaz n
$ S:s P ur?o ,0 corpa:' y fNo d 2 9 “ A S l Th 2 - 1 forward h « ewith further correspond-
August 1910. ence, as per margin, on the subject.