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Coll 5/85 ‘Airfield at Dharan for U.S.A.A.F.: Proposal to construct new airport at Bahrain (Hamala)’ [‎159r] (318/522)

The record is made up of 1 file (259 folios). It was created in 17 Mar 1944-14 Nov 1947. 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

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X
X
^ J
FROM JBDDil TO FOREI^J OFFICE
Mr, Adams
No, 415.
11th September, 1945.
D, 4. 0 p.m. 11th September, 1945.
R, 11.16 a.m. 12th September, 1945,
11th September, 1945.
Repeated to Washington and
VV bUIi CUiU.
M.E.Min's Office
Bagdad
} SAVING
JJJ
D/IPO RTIiNT
CONPIDfflTIiIL
My telegram No . 415.
SPACE
Yusuf Yasin last night conveyed message from Ibn Saud of
which following is the gist.
[Begins]
M His Majesty was grateful to the British Government for the
frank expression of their views on T.W.A. proposals. He would
as always, be guided by the wishes of His Majesty’s Government and
we could be assured that fifth freedom rights would not be granted
and that no agreement would be concluded without prior consulta
tion with His Majesty's Government. But His Majesty's Government’s
expression of views had been entirely negative. This country was
badly in need of transport services of all kinds and was in this
respect considerably behind neighbouring states. Even Koweit and
Bahrein had better communications ? internal and external, than
Saudi Arabia, His Majesty was disappointed to find [grp* undec.
?we were] constantly preventing him from accepting offers of
improved communications (see e.g. His Majesty s Minister's telegram
No. 20 Saving) without offering any alternative. As we knew, he
would prefer British services to any others but if these were not
forthcoming he would be obliged to look elsewhere."
Yusuf Yasin enlarged upon this saying that Britain was the
power most interested in the Middle East and could therefore be
counted upon to give good services here. The Americans were
entirely commercially-minded and if they could not make money here
they would turn their attention to other countries,
2. Yusuf Yasin then informed me confidentially that meetings
with T.W.A. representative and United States Minister had been
held and that the former had been asked to submit detailed proposals
[Ends]

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Content

The file is concerned with proposals for the construction of an airfield – suitable for very heavy bombers – at Dhahran by the United States Army Air Transport Command as a wartime necessity, and applications from the United States to the United Kingdom for the latters support in obtaining permission from Saudi Arabia. See folios 239-241 for a brief on these proposals.

The file also contains papers related to proposals for the post-war civil operation following the construction of the airfield, and the transfer of ownership from the United States to Saudi Arabia. Related papers concern proposals from Trans World Airlines for the development of civil aviation in Saudi Arabia, and counter proposals from the British Government for a civil air mission. This includes the use of Dhahran by the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).

A typed copy of a report by a Ministry of Civil Aviation Technical Survey Party on aerodromes in the Middle East and Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (1947) has also been included: see folios 26-55. The minutes of a subsequent meeting held by the Civil Aviation Planning Committee on 1 April 1947 to discuss the reports findings can be found on folios 18-19.

The main correspondents in the file are as follows: HM Minister at Jeddah (Sir Laurence Grafftey-Smith), officials of the Foreign Office, officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and 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. (Commonwealth Relations Office from August 1947).

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 (259 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 (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 260; 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
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Coll 5/85 ‘Airfield at Dharan for U.S.A.A.F.: Proposal to construct new airport at Bahrain (Hamala)’ [‎159r] (318/522), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2052, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100043044459.0x000079> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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