Concessions in Bahrein [Bahrain], Kuwait, &c: correspondence, 1932-Jul 1933 (Colonial Office Secret Print, Middle East No.49) [‎79v] (160/284)

132
the other hand he did want money. Holmes, I understand, is preparing a revised
draft concession and as soon as the Shaikh receives it he will send it to us to be vetted,
and he assured me that any conditions that we put in he would certainly insist on, and
he asked me to let him know definitely and clearly what we required.
Yours, &c.,
H. V. BISCOE
Enclosure in No. 146.
Sir A. T. Wilson (Anglo-Persian Oil Company, Limited) to Lieutenant-Colonel
H. R. P. Dickson ( Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kuwait).
(Personal.)
My dear Dickson , The Atheneeum, Pall Mall, S .W.I, 29th April, 1932.
You will have been as disappointed to receive, as we were to send, a telegram a
fortnight ago saying that we did not wish at present to negotiate for a concession in
Kuwait, and that we were withdrawing our geologists. For tactical reasons which I
need not detail, it was necessary to send this telegram and to withdraw our geologists,
who would in any case have been compelled by the heat to leave within the month.
The information that we were getting was of a nature that would greatly interest any
of our competitors and we were not disposed to make them a present of it. I do not
mean you to deduce from this statement that the views that we formed regarding the
prospects of commercial oil in Kuwait were hopeful, but (unlike Major Frank Holmes)
we have interests in Persia and in Mraq through the 'Iraq Petroleum Company, and
the physical world being what it is geological conditions in Kuwait may throw light on
conditions existing below the surface m neighbouring countries and vice versa, and we
are at this moment tn 0 a^ed in putting down a deep test in the hills south of Bushire,
and oui observations at Kuwait have to be correlated with what we are getting in that
well. Thus, looking at Kuwait, not merely from the local point of view of a possible
small oilfield but as part of the geological problem of the countries at the head of the
Peisian (julf, we are, or are likely to be, interested in the matter to the extent of not
wishing entirely to abandon further research into the possibilities of Kuwait, though
these are of necessity very speculative.
I have no idea as to whether Frank Holmes and his American backers are pushing
the Shaikh hard, or whether he is disposed to grant them a concession. If, however,
you think fit, you might inform the Shaikh verbally that you have reason to' think that
this Company might be piepare^d to pay the Shaikh <£2,000 sterling cash down in return
for an exclusive option to prospect and survey Kuwait territory for the next two years,
or if the Shaikh thinks this too long, for the next eighteen months, i.e., covering two
cold weather seasons. This would give time for us to complete our deep well tests on
the other side of the Gulf and to correlate the information that we have or may obtain
at Kuwait with the work that is being done both in 'Iraq and in Persia. I do not think
tKat the Company would be disposed to go higher than £2,000, nor to commit ourselves
to any specific undertaking as to drilling, &c., and at the end of the period of this
option, the Shaikh would of course be perfectly free to take whatever action he thought
fit elsewhere.
Will you drop me a line to let me know whether the Shaikh is disposed to consider
favourably some such arrangement. If so, I would be prepared to recommend strondv
to the Chairman that we should take action on these lines. 0 "
I am only venturing to trouble you personally in the matter in view of our con
versations last summer and of the fact that we have no representative at Kuwait whom
we could entrust with the duty of making these prehmmarv inquiries.
With all good wishes.
Yours, &c.,
A. T. Wilson.