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Coll 5/33 ‘Air-route to India: Landing ground at Gwadur; Muscat Civil Air Agreement’ [‎27r] (53/723)

The record is made up of 1 file (360 folios). It was created in 5 Apr 1933-5 Nov 1938. 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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(g) 0
frnr,^- 0 /p a T 0 f^icia.! letter Lo.2291, dated tne 26th April
irom .ajor o.u.i . jdwards, PoliticalAgent in Kalat, ‘
5 Lan;; (
X Please refer to Hay’s demi-official letter No.F76-j/38, datd
one 19bn April 193b, a copy of which was forwarded to me by the
Agent to the G-ovemor (General*
I saw His Highness the Khan at Kalat yesterday and handed
him a copy of the enclosed memorandum. His Highness welcomed
the decision and asked me to tell the Agent to the Governor
General that he would do all in his power to facilitate the
transier and gave his assurance that he would ap^roaciu all ques
tions connected with it x in a spirit of most friendly co-opera
tion and v/ould not put any difficulties in the way. He was wiiiiDg
unwilling to commit himself to any definite replies on the
questions of customs duties and rent free use of land and water
until he had consulted his advisers; but he is coming to vuetta
on tiie 28th April, and he may have been able to form a definite
opinion by then. Meanwhile he hopes that action will be put in
hand immediately to transfer the flying boat base to Jiunri on
the lines described.
I do ..ot appear to have received a copy of Hay’s a.o # .,o.
3.591-F/36 of the 4th February 1938 (referred to in para 8 of
his letter oi the 19th April 1938). 3o I am unaware how strongly
the Govern ent of India wish to press for rent free use of land
and water. Prima f acie I would be inclined to think that it would
be better for the Khan to charge a nominal rent, in order to
ensure permanent recognition of his ownership and sovereignty;
but I did not, of course, make any such suggestion to His Highness.
As regards customs duties, the duties charged by the Kalat dtate
at Pasni and Jiunri are very much lighter than those charged in
British Indian ports; and I believe that the State might be
prepared to make some special coneession to Imperial Airways in
respect of materials imported for construction work
I believe that His Highness proposes to call on the Agent to
the Governor General at Quetta on the morning of 29th April;
so if Golonel Parsons would like to discuss Kalat quesuions with
me before he sees the Khan, I could be ready for discussion at
any time on the afternoon or evening of the 28th. I shall be at
the Dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. Bungalow at fuetta; and you could address any communica
tion to me there to wait my arrival on the 28th.
.

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Content

The file contains notes and correspondence related to the use of the Gwadur Aerodrome by Imperial Airways and the Royal Air Force. It also therefore covers the negotiations surrounding the Muscat Civil Air Agreement (1934), and subsequent amendments to modify the level of rent paid to the Sultan of Muscat and Oman. Draft copies of the Muscat Agreement can be found on folios 266-273 and 307-318, while the final print edition copies can be found on folios 189-192 and 221-222. A copy of the Kuwait Air Navigation Regulations can be found on folios 366-367, and a copy of the Kuwait Air Agreement can be found on folios 329-331.

The file contains further correspondence regarding trouble experienced by Imperial Airways in claiming its rebate on aviation fuel, and efforts made by British authorities to obtain further duty exemptions for the airline. It also covers special authorisations issued under the agreement to permit aircraft to fly over and land in Oman.

The abandonment of Gwadur in 1938 – as a result of its unsuitability for seaplanes – and the transfer of Imperial Airways services to Jiwani (also spelt Jiunri in the file) is documented by the correspondence.

The main correspondents are as follows: the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. 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. ; 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. and Consul at Muscat (Claude Edward Urquhart Bremner and Ralph Ponsonby Watts); the Foreign and Political Department of the Government of India (the Department of External Affairs from 1937); and the Agent to the Governor General, Resident and Chief Commissioner in Baluchistan. The file also contains correspondence with officials of the following departments of the British Government: the Air Ministry, the Foreign Office, and 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 file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 file (360 folios)
Arrangement

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 362; 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. An additional foliation sequence (present between ff 2-360), which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

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English in Latin script
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Coll 5/33 ‘Air-route to India: Landing ground at Gwadur; Muscat Civil Air Agreement’ [‎27r] (53/723), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/1984, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100034351254.0x000036> [accessed 24 April 2024]

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