Concessions in Bahrein [Bahrain], Kuwait, &c: correspondence, 1932-Jul 1933 (Colonial Office Secret Print, Middle East No.49) [‎41r] (83/284)

55
4. The Shaikh shall be at liberty at all reasonable times during the continuance
of this Lease to inspect and examine all works carried on by the Lessees. The Lessees
shall afford to the Shaikh all information which he may reasonably require in connexion
with any such inspection.
5 Minerals, other than petroleum and cognate products, should be reserved to
the Shaikh, who should retain the right to lease them to other parties, provided that the
operations of the Company are not thereby obstructed.
6. The Company should undertake to offer no unnecessary or reasonably avoid
able obstruction or interruption to the development and working of any minerals (other
than petroleum or cognate products) including water and to afford to the Shaikh and
to the holders of prospecting licences or mining leases in respect of other minerals reason
able means of access to such minerals for the purpose or working and carrying away the
same. '
7. Provision should be made in regard to keeping clear a landing ground for aero
planes on the northern extremity of Bahrein Island opposite to Muharraq Island near
the Wireless Telegraph station. (See Air Ministry letter of 13th May, 1929.*)
8. As regards the safeguards to be inserted for the benefit of His Majesty's Govern
ment in time or war or emergency, i.e., right of pre-emption, and refining of oil in
Bahrein or British territory, it is possible that the insistence on a refinery clause would
involve the Company in considerable additional expense. The matter is one which will
require further discussion and it is not proposed to deal with it further in this
memorandum as it is understood that the Admiralty intend to raise these points at the
Departmental meeting to be held on the subject.
2nd May, 1933. ,,
18135/33 [No. 126J.
No. 75.
(Confidential.)
EXTRACT FEOM A FINAL RECORD OF A MEETING (ADJOURNED FROM THE
26 th APRIL) HELD AT THE COLONIAL OFFICE ON THE 3 rd OF MAY,
1933, TO DISCUSS VAEIOUS QUESTIONS RELATING TO OIL IN THE
PEESIAN GULF.
Present: —
Mr. Parkinson |
Mr. Blaxter : Colonial Office.
Mr. James
Mr. Rendel 1 -p - r.rv,
T ) roreign Omce.
Mr. Johnstone ; ^
Mr. Laithwaite , 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. .
Captain Moore , Admiralty.
Mr. Starling , Petroleum Department.
» Lieutenant-Colonel Fowle , 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.
Captain Prior , Indian Political Department (lately Political
Agent at Bahrein),
*\L. .4^. »v.
•fT *7v* "TV -TV- "Tv" TV* "TV"
IV.—Bahrein.
A. Extension of Prospecting Licence and Amendments to Mining Lease.
17. The meeting first discussed whether the Company is entitled to an extension
of their prospecting licence under Article IV of the 1925 Agreement. The Political
Agent at Bahrein had called attention to the fact that the Company had used the word
entitled " in their letter of the 4th of April. The wording of Article IV provides
that an extension of the prospecting licence up to two years may be granted if the
Shaikh on the advice of 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. is satisfied that such an extension is
justified. The Acting Resident has stated in a recent telegram that the interpretation
is not <£ quite free from doubt." It was therefore decided that, on the whole, it
would be better to obtain legal advice on this point, and that such advice had better
be sought from the Treasury Solicitor. In the meantime, however, the discussion
* j ST o . 17 in Middle East No. 32.