File 161/1908 Pt 2 'Persian Gulf:- Abu Musa Oxide' [‎185r] (378/402)

That the partners were entitled to terminate
file Concession is shown by the words, “ for such ^
a period as they may wish to hold them,” butjSheso^e^c^j
' < words\do not imply that the right to terminate
the contract is with the partners alone, and that
the owner is bound for ever, and can under no
circumstances escape from the contract, however
valuable the mines may become tiioiii only offoet
TsTcTgive the partners the right to surrender tlie"\
mines and escape from the liability to pay 250
dollars a-year u r hen they please. ^
That the lessor retained the right to determine
contracts of this character is shown by the
penultimate paragraph of the document: “ I
have perhaps made out certain Agreements
previous to this. They do not hold good, and
this Agreement is to be acted on. 55
In these circumstances the lease appears to
have been no more than a permit to work these
mines, determinable by notice on either side, the
owners receiving 250 dollars a-year so long as it
was in force.
The action of the ruling Sheikh in becoming a
partner in the concern for a few months in 1899
cannot affect his right to cancel the lease granted
in his behalf, no matter what complexion the
Company might in future assume. Were there
any question at issue as to the genuineness of the
lease granted in 1898 by Salim, the fact that the
Sheikh had subsequently become a partner
would be of importance, but as he approved the
lease no such question arises, and his temporary
partnership^ appears—as anr—aeoidontal ovontr
having no direct bearing upon the points at
issue.
3. In October 1907 Hassan-bin-Ali Samaiyeh,
one of the original lessors, sold his share in the
Company to the British subject Thomas Brown, of
Lingah, who, a few days later, transferred the share
to the German firm R. Wonckhaus and Co., of
Lingah. The Company of lessors now apparently
consists of three British subjects and the German
firm R. Wonckhaus and Co It appears
that an absolutely legitimate commercial business is
concerned.
In a letter dated the 21st February, 1907 (see
Appendix, No. 7), the ruling Sheikh of SLargali
addressed a communication to Hassan Samaiyeh
withdrawing the document of concession and