Concessions in Bahrein [Bahrain], Kuwait, &c: correspondence, 1932-Jul 1933 (Colonial Office Secret Print, Middle East No.49) [‎63v] (128/284)

100
Company at Bahrein which His Majesty's Government would not approve. Though
Holmes was unfortunately specifically nominated by His Majesty's Government as the
first incumbent of the post, we are all agreed, I think, that he has completely failed
to fulfil any such purpose. The question of getting Holmes removed from the post
of Chief Local Eepresentative has received some interdepartmental consideration,
and at one time you had, I think, derived from your meetings with representatives of
the Bahrein Oil Company the impression that they might not be unwilling to see him
go; but I understand from Warner that their later attitude has changed your impression.
Moreover, it is not at all clear from the terms of Condition C that His Majesty's
Government have the right to demand Holmes's dismissal. There is the further
consideration on this point that to remove him would probably merely give him more
scope for undesirable activities at Kuwait and elsewhere than if he were more strictly
tied to Bahrein. We doubt therefore whether the idea of getting Holmes removed
can be usefully pursued.
6. We have also considered whether it might not be intimated to the Company,
or perhaps to Holmes himself, that the intention referred to at the beginning of the*
preceding paragraph was, in His Majesty's Government's opinion, implicit in Con
dition C, that we cannot consider Holmes's general behaviour and his dealings with
the political authorities in the Gulf altogether satisfactory and that, if he is to retain
His Majesty's Government approval of his appointment as Chief Local Repre
sentative, he should maintain closer and franker relations with the political authorities.
But we fear that the terms of Condition C and the fact that it is mainly in connexion
with Kuwait, so fai as we know, that his attitude to the political authorities in the Gulf
is open to criticism make this course difficult, unless it is considered possible and
desirable to take the opportunity of the approaching grant of the mining lease to secure
alterations m Condition C which might give us more hold over Holmes's conduct as
Chief Local Representative. It might, however, perhaps be possible even without
alteration in Condition C to give the 'Company a warning in general terms to the effect
that Holmes s dealings of late with the political authorities, more particularlv at Kuwait
(where of course he has been anything but frank and open with Dickson), have not
been all that we should have expected and point out to them that in the interests of
good relations between the Bahrein Petroleum Companv and His Majesty's Govern
ment Holmes should study to deserve our good opinion. " Possiblv a hint to this effect
combined with a direct statement that we expected Holmes to be permanentlv resident
and on the spot m Bahrein would have the effect of making the Companv instruct
Holmes that he must limit his visits to Kuwait and be more careful not to incur the
distrust of the political authorities in the Gulf by going behind their backs over Kuwait
a ^ f fw be + 1 1 n . tereste d ^ Aether you and the other departments con
cerned think that anything useful could be done on these lines. Obviouslv the whole
question is full of snags, and any action will need very careful consideration but I
rather dislike the idea of merely accepting the present situation
8, I am sending copies of this letter to Walton, Starling and Moore.
Yours, &c.,
Cx. W. RENDEL.
18301/33 [No. 40].
No. 122.
MR. F. C. STARLING (Petroleum Department)
to
MR. K. W. BLAXTER (Colonial Office).
Petroleum Department,
Mines Department, Dean Stanley Street, Millbank,
My dear Blaxter , Westminster, London, S.W .I 16th June 1933
With reference to Eendel's letter to you of 7th June,* on the subject of Maior
Holmes s residence m Banrem and his obligations under the Agreement of 19t>i Tni^
1930, 1 have been considering the matter further and it seems" to me that it is worth
exploring the question of whether Holmes could not be removed or his activities
circumscribed, as suggested in Eendel's letter. I note from vour letter of 2nth M„ +
that the Colonial Office suggest that the matter be allowed to rest until the otW
questions, i.e., extension of t he prospecting licence and amendment of the minina
* No - 121 - t No. 118.