Skip to item: of 619
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

Concessions in Bahrein [Bahrain], Kuwait, &c: correspondence, 1932-Jul 1933 (Colonial Office Secret Print, Middle East No.49) [‎51v] (104/284)

The record is made up of 1 file (140 folios). It was created in 1932-Jul 1933. 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. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

76
royalties to the Shaikh might make up more payments under B. On the other hand, if
it suited the Company, owing to difficulties in marketing their oil, to produce as little
as possible, it would be very difficult I imagine to force them to produce more, and
under the mining lease they could go on producing a minimum of oil and paying the
minimum annual rental of Rs. 10,000/- {vide Article III of the mining lease) foi a
period of 6 years (Article IX of the mining lease).
7. The reason why the Company are prepared to make offer B is presumably that
they foresee great difficulties in marketing their oil. That they are influenced by some
powerful motive is evident from the lucrative nature of the offer. Some time ago [vide
Major Holmes's letter dated the 4th April, 1933, enclosed with my despatch No. 26,
dated the 17th April, 1933*) in return for the two concessions now asked for they
offered the loan only.
8. The two concessions asked for by the Company from the Bahrein Government
in return for their offer are :—
(1) an extension of the prospecting period by 20 months, and
(2) an extension of the mining lease area to cover the whole of Bahrein territory.
9. With regard to (1). Subject to the opinion of His Majesty's Government, I
see no particular objection in view of the substantial financial benefits contained in the
Company's offer. It may be possible as suggested by Colonel Loch (paragraph 6 of his
letter) to get still better terms from them.
10. Concession (2), however, raised various serious and important issues The
pros and cons of conceding the whole territory to the Company were discussed at the
Interdepartmental Conference held at the Colonial Office on the 26th April, 1935,1"
One difficulty lies in the fact that the territory of the Bahrein State is not definitely
known {vide paragraph 7 of Colonel Loch's letter). I will endeavour in conjunction
with Colonel Loch to clear this point up.
11 In considering the whole question of the Bahrein Petroleum Company, the
possibility should not be lost sight of that they do not intend to exploit the oil field
themselves, provided they can sell the Concession at a profit to themselves to some
other Company.
I am sending copy of this despatch to the Government of India.
I have, &c.,
T. C. FOWLE,
Lieutenant-Colonel,
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. .
Enclosure in No. 94,
(Confidential.)
(No. 0/182.)
s irj Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , Bahrein, 29th May, 1933.
I have the honour to refer to my letter dated the 18th May, 1933, and to saj 1
that I sent His Excellency Shaikh Hamad bin Isa A1 Khalifah a copy of the letter dated
the 17th May, 1933, from the Chief Local Representative of the Bahrein Petroleum
Company, Limited, in which he states certain proposals regarding the desires of the
Companv for an additional area in Bahrein and regarding other matters.
2. " A copy is enclosed of a letter dated the 28th May, 1933 (equivalent to the
4th Safar 1362) from His Excellency Shaikh Hamad bin Isa A1 Khalifah, in which His
Excellency gives his views on the contents of the letter in question.
3. His Excellency's letter deserves careful study, but it is well to note certain
points which emerge :—
(i) the first overture appears to have come from Major Holmes and not, as he
states, from His Excellency Shaikh Hamad;
(ii) His Excellency Shaikh Hamad denies that he agreed to any proposals or
that he made any offer to the Company, and
(hi) His Excellency declares that certain important matters, which appear in
the letter were never mentioned to him at all: in particular the inclusion
of the territorial waters (whereas the conversation referred to Bahrein
t No. 75.

About this item

Content

This file contains copies correspondence regarding the granting of oil concessions in Bahrain and Kuwait.

The correspondence is a mixture of internal correspondence between British officials (from 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. , Colonial Office, Foreign Office and the Petroleum Department) and correspondence between British officials and Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the ruler of Bahrain and representatives from the Bahrain Petroleum Company Limited, the Eastern and General Syndicate Limited and the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.

The file is divided up as follows:

Bahrein [Bahrain]

1. Indenture between Shaikh of Bahrein and the Eastern and General Syndicate, Limited, dated 12th June, 1930. Conditions governing assignment of Concession to Bahrein Petroleum Company.

2. Eastern and General Syndicate's application for a further Concession in Bahrein.

3. Landing Grounds and Seaplane Station.

4. Areas covered by Prospecting Licence granted to Bahrein Petroleum Company on 28th November, 1931.

5. Employment of British Subjects by the Bahrein Petroleum Company.

6. Extension of Prospecting Licence granted to Bahrein Petroleum Company on 28th November, 1931.

7. Chief Local Representative of the Bahrein Petroleum Company

Kuwait

1. Applications of the Eastern and General Syndicate, Limited, and the Anglo-Persian Oil Company for an Oil Concession.

Extent and format
1 file (140 folios)
Arrangement

The file is divided up into two thematic sections. The correspondence within these sections is arranged chronologically. A table of contents is contained on folios 2-13

Physical characteristics

Condition: A printed pamphlet with bound pages.

Foliation: the foliation sequence is written in pencil, circled, and is 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.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

Concessions in Bahrein [Bahrain], Kuwait, &c: correspondence, 1932-Jul 1933 (Colonial Office Secret Print, Middle East No.49) [‎51v] (104/284), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/749/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100035849169.0x00006a> [accessed 28 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100035849169.0x00006a">Concessions in Bahrein [Bahrain], Kuwait, &c: correspondence, 1932-Jul 1933 (Colonial Office Secret Print, Middle East No.49) [&lrm;51v] (104/284)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100035849169.0x00006a">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x0002d6/IOR_R_15_1_749_0105.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x0002d6/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image