File 1421/1908 Pt 3 'Persia: oil; negotiations between the Shaikh of Mohammerah and the Anglo-Persian Oil Co.' [‎282r] (129/338)

Enclosure 4 in No. 1 .
Mr. Black to Lieutenant Wilson.
Si r > Mohammerah, July 13, 1910.
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 boiler and
engine, and most probably a workshop for tools and spares, at a spot which we will in
due couise select in the Ahwaz hills, dhere we wdl 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 Sheikh 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 sheikh 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.
We have, &c.
(For Lloyd, Scott, and Co. (Limited),
Managing Agents),
JOHN BLACK, Manager.
Enclosure 5 in No. 1 .
Lieutenant Wilson to Sir G. Barclay.
(No. 75.)
Sir, Mohammerah, August 27, 1910.
I HAVE the honour to forward herewith copies of correspondence on the subject
of a proposal by the oil company to bore for oil at Ahwaz, in the territories of the
Sheikh of Mohammerah, and in this connection would invite reference to Colonel Cox’s
telegram No. 182 of the 10 th June to your address.
2. The translations of the firmans, to which reference is made, were forwarded to
you 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. , under his letter of the 26th June,
and also to the Foreign Office.
I have, &c.
A. T. WILSON,
Acting Consul.
Enclosure 6 in No. 1.
Lieutenant Wilson to Lieutenant-Colonel Cox.
Sir, Mohammerah, August 27, 1910.
I HAVE the honour to refer to the correspondence, ending with my letter of
the 16th July, regarding the proposal of the oil company to bore for oil at Ahwaz.
2 . I forward herewith further correspondence on the subject.
3. I judged it necessary to explain the position of the sheikh in some detail to the
company in order to put the case clearly before them, but I have, I trust, said no more
than was necessary for this purpose. I did not think it necessary at this stage to refer
to the clause in the first firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). (p. 6 , lines 18-20 of print), which provides that k ‘ should
any of the lands be ever required for the Government, they should pay a reasonable price
to the Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Arfa and then take possession thereof.” This clause (which does not
appear in the second firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). ) will be useful when negotiating with the sheikh.
4. I may also draw attention to the fact, perhaps without significance, that the
second firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). mentions Deh Mulla, Hindian, and the lands east of the Karun, but the
covering letter only mentions two places.