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Coll 5/48 ‘Afghanistan: Supply of military aircraft to the Afghan Government; Supply of maps etc. to the Afghan Govt.’ [113v] (226/1019)
The record is made up of 1 file (508 folios). It was created in 25 Jan 1935-28 Feb 1936. 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.
their view in regard to this, especially as every further
credit decreases the security of those already granted.
As suggested above, it is by no means certain
that the Afghans will now go to France, Italy or Germany
for^aircraft^; it is only a risk, and perhaps not a great
one. Moreover, if they went to France, as suggested by
Abdul Majid, it would matter less than in the other cases.
The best course accordingly seems to be to take
the action suggested in the attached drafts. If, however,
the F.O. feel that the risk (such as it is) of a
successful approach to Italy or Germany ought at all costs
to be avoided, the only alternative seems to be to persuade
the Treasury to supply the balance of £55,000 which the
Afghans say they require. We might join with the F.O. in
asking the Treasury whether they would do this, unless it is
thought that, since a Parliamentary vote would be required,
the answer is a foregone conclusion. The pi^aller has
Jen I' jy
been suggested of asking the Treasury to give sorne^guarantee
to the G. of I. which would enable the latter to make a firm
promise of a further Rs.4
lakhs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
in 1938-9. It does not seei
to me that this has much to commend it, sjua^ it would noU^'-* ^ 1 ’
^ <WV/ ' ^
give the Afghans what they want - viz ., credit for a purchase y
in 1937-8; we should have to get a pretty firm
guarantee from the Treasury before we approached the G. of 1.
on these lines,' and, in view of the relative weight of the
political and financial considerations, I doubt whether we
C <C 7 #
could make a good case|. In short, it is really bad policy
to mortgage the Afghan Reserve Fund in the manner suggested
whether it is the G. of I. or the Treasury that is asked to
hear the risk.
~ i . y
About this item
- Content
The file contains correspondence, notes, and records of meetings documenting negotiations between the British Government and the Government of India on the one hand, and the Government of Afghanistan on the other. The purpose of the negotiations was to facilitate the financing and purchase of military aircraft – and related equipment, weapons and ammunition – from British sources for the Afghan Air Force, and to provide for the provision of training for Afghan pilots and mechanics in India. The file also outlines the establishment of the Afghan reserve fund by the Government of India for the purpose of funding expenditure related to Afghanistan.
A tour (1936-37) by the Afghan Air Commandant, Ghund Mishar Muhammad Ihdan Khan, of India (Peshwar, Risalpur, and Karachi) and the United Kingdom is also documented in the file; the tour was undertaken at the invitation of the Government of India in order to demonstrate British aircraft and Royal Air Force ground operations. The file therefore includes a number of reports from British officers on the progress of the tour.
The main correspondents in the file are as follows: HM Minister in Kabul (Richard Roy Maconachie and William Kerr Fraser Tyler), officials of the Air Ministry, officials of the Foreign Office, officials of 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. , and representatives of the Foreign and Political Department (Department of External Affairs from 1937) of the Government of India. The file also contains a limited amount of correspondence with the Afghan Legation and representatives of Hawker Aircraft Limited, as the company chosen to supply the aircraft.
A sketch map of Afghanistan can be found on folio 490 illustrating the effective action of the Westland Wapiti from Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, and Farah.
The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (508 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 509; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are 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. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 5/48 ‘Afghanistan: Supply of military aircraft to the Afghan Government; Supply of maps etc. to the Afghan Govt.’ [113v] (226/1019), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2001, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100037374640.0x00001b> [accessed 27 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2001
- Title
- Coll 5/48 ‘Afghanistan: Supply of military aircraft to the Afghan Government; Supply of maps etc. to the Afghan Govt.’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:17v, 20r:36v, 38r:200v, 202r:272v, 274r:275v, 277r:489v, 491r:509v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence