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Concessions in Bahrein [Bahrain], Kuwait, &c: correspondence, 1932-Jul 1933 (Colonial Office Secret Print, Middle East No.49) [‎74v] (150/284)

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. .

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122
Enclosure in No. 142.
(Secret.)
(Nc. 61.)
Sir , Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , Kuweit, dated the 1st May, 1932.
In continuation of my Oonfidential despatch No. 63 dated 15th April, 1932, and
paragraph 8. I have the honour to inform you that Major Frank Holmes arrived from
Bahrein on the 27th April (see also my D.O. No. 60 dated 24th April, 1932) and dined
with His Excellency the same evening.
2. Major Holmes called on me on the following day, the 28th April, and I returned
his call on the 29th April.
3. At this second meeting, 1 found Major Holmes in a cheerful and talkative mood.
After discussing certain topics of general interest, which included a rather unnecessary
set speech in praise of Mr. Mellon, the American Ambassador, who was described as
the most popular man in England to-day, he made a gratuitous attack on yourself and
Political Officers in general, whom he styled " out of date persons who think of nothing
else but how to maintain their personal power over local potentates " (Major Holmes
graciously excluded me from his remarks !).
4. After about twenty minutes of this sort of thing Major Holmes changed the
subject and with an air of childish triumph called his confidential clerk, who produced
a telegram (typed out and without date) which he /Major Holmes) said he had just
received from the Eastern (General Syndicate, London. The wording of the telegram
was to the effect that the Company's American principals had been informed by the
American State Department that the London Foreign Office had addressed them as
follows on the subject of the Kuweit oil concession.
His Majesty's Government on their part are prepared to agree to
the omission, from any oil concession which His Excellency the Shaikh of Kuweit
may be prepared to grant, of a clause confining it to British interest, if therefore
the Eastern General Syndicate, Limited, desire to renew their application to His
Excellency the Shaikh of Kuweit for a concession, to be subsequently transferred
to the Eastern Gulf Company (underlined portion, actual words as far as my
memory serves me). His Majesty's Government will raise no objection to the
application being taken into consideration, together with any other application
for an oil concession which may be forthcoming from other quarters."
6. Major Holmes then handed me an official letter (in duplicate) addressed to
myself, the original of which I am forwarding as an enclosure to this. The letter speaks
for itself, though you will doubtless observe that there are two important omissions
(a) Firstly, Major Holmes makes no mention of the Eastern General Syndicate,
Limited, having received their so-called extract of Foreign Office letter,
from America, but on the contrary he states that His Majesty's Government
have been in direct communication with the Eastern and General Syndicate
and have supplied the extract quoted, direct to them.
(h) Secondly, he has been careful to omit the words underlined by me in the
original telegram.
Both these omissions to my mind are significant, as without them the letter appears
fairly straightforward, and if shown to the Shaikh, as it undoubtedly must have been
by now, will convey the impression that His Majesty's Government has come to an
agreement with the Eastern General Syndicate, and will no longer insist on the British
Nationality clause. This in itself can be counted not to alarm the Shaikh, as any men
tion of the news having come from America (a, above), or that any concession granted
could subsequently be transferred to an American concern pure and simple (h, above),
would certainly be calculated to do.
6. The clever part of Major Holmes s letter to me, which I repeat he must have
already shown to the Shaikh, lies in the fact that the Shaikh must now think that Holmes
and his backers are more powerful than he ever gave them credit for, and that they have
orced His Majesty s Government to go back on their original decision to insist on the
Nationality clause. This I submit will not only shake the Shaikh's faith in us badly,
but knowing him as I do will certainly set him wondering whether he can really count
on that assistance from His Majesty's Government, which he hopes and expects to cret
m other important matters such as the " Date Gardens " and c< blockade " questions
7. That Majoi Holmes believes that he has triumphed was very evident from his
subsequent conversation for, he talked about the "wonderful victory" that his

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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
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Concessions in Bahrein [Bahrain], Kuwait, &c: correspondence, 1932-Jul 1933 (Colonial Office Secret Print, Middle East No.49) [‎74v] (150/284), 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_100035849169.0x000098> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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