Skip to item: of 115
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

'File No. 14/5 MINERAL DEPOSITS IN DHOFAR' [‎22r] (43/115)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 file (55 folios). It was created in 18 Jun 1911-30 Mar 1933. It was written in English and Arabic. 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.

Apply page layout

CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 3665 , dated Bushire, 2 nd (received 12 th) December 1913 .
From— Lieutenant Colonel Sir Percy Cox, K.C.I.E., C S.I., Political Resi
dent in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department, Delhi.
I have the honour to lay before the Government of India the following
observations on the subject of the truculence experienced from ^angs of native
passengers travelling at certain seasons on board the British India Steam Navi
gation Company’s and other British steamers in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
2. On several occasions during the last few years applications for assistance
have been made by the masters of passenger steamers to this Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. and
the Political Agencies in Gulf Ports in connection with the truculent attitude
assumed by their passengers. Such instances have become more frequent and
serious of late and have formed the subject of official representations by the
local Agents of the British India Steam Navigation Company.
3. I have had the advantage of
From the 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 to the
Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , No. 3^9 i
dated 23 rd September 1913 .
Prom His Majesty’s Consul, Basrah, to the
Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , \o 31 ,
dated 20 th September 1913 (in original).
discussing the question with His Excellency
the Naval Commander-in-Chief and the
Senior Naval Officer and in answer to
enquiries addressed to the 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.
at Kuwait and His Majesty’s Consul at
Basrah, I have received the marginally
quoted communications on the subject
4 I agree generally with Captain Shakespear’s estimate of the causes which
give rise to the truculent attitude complained of, but local remedies are unfortun
ately not available at less favoured ports, where the local authorities are more
supine and less easily accessible
It may be hoped that in future the Riverain Commission will be in a
position to deal effectively with cases of the kind at Basrah, but, as regards
Bahrain and Bushire, which are the other ports principally affected, neither His
Excellency the Naval Commander-in-Chief nor I consider that any substantial
improvement can be effected until wireless telegraphic installations have been
erected on shore.
5. The present difficulty is that owing to the primitive harbour facilities
existing in the Gulf Ports and the time it takes for a vessel to communicate with
the shore at Bushire, Kuwait or Bahrain, it is not possible without previous
warning for the Authorities of the Port to initiate any effective steps from the
shore after a vessel has arrived, without undue delay to her and in cases of the
kind in point, it is not possible at present to receive any warning in advance to
the effect that passengers are giving trouble and assistance is required. This
disability, however, will cease to operate as soon as the wireless stations at the
ports above mentioned are established, for as the Government of India is doubt
less aware almost all the British India Steam Navigation Company’s subsidiary
mail steamers (which deal with the bulk of native passenger traffic) are now
provided with Radio-telegraphic installations, and the new fast mail steamers
which are expected to appear in the Gulf in the course of next year, will be
similarly equipped.
6. This being so, it is matter of urgency that we should complete our
installations as soon as possible, in order to enable British Shipping Companies
to reap the benefits of their enterprise in installing the apparatus on their
steamers, which in the case of British India Steam Navigation Company were
built especially for the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. service.
7. I would add incidentally in conclusion that the only occasion on which
the vast bulk of the Arab and Persian diving fraternities inhabiting the shores of
the Gulf come into contact with the Englishmen and British authority is during
their seasonal voyages on the mail steamers and it is politically damaging to our
good name that we should appear to this element unable to lend effective support
to the Commanders and officers of British ships when any question arises
between them and their unruly burden.

About this item

Content

The file comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, and notes, relating to prospecting for coal and other minerals in Dhofar. Issues discussed include terms of a concession, technical mining issues and assessments of commercial viability of mining the coal seams and ore.

The file contains correspondence with representatives of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company on desired terms for a concession and a draft agreement (ff 6-8) relating to coal. Also discussed in the file are the unsuitable conditions for prospecting, such as the hostile reaction of tribesmen in the Qara mountains.

Included in the file is a handwritten letter (folio 35) in Arabic (with English translation on folio 36) from the Sultan of Muscat and Oman [Sa‘īd bin Taymūr] to the 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. , Muscat, concerning a possible concession for mining coal. Correspondence (folio 30) from a representative of the Government of Muscat and Oman also discusses the significance of the discoveries by Harry St John Bridger Philby and Bertram Sidney Thomas in Dhofar and their possible connection to the 'gold mines of Ophir'.

The file features the following principal correspondents: the 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. , Muscat (Trenchard Craven William Fowle); the British Consul, Basrah (Francis Edward Crow); the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Percy Zachariah Cox); the Secretary of State for the Colonies; and the Financial Adviser to the Sultan of Muscat (Reginald George Evelin William Alban).

Extent and format
1 file (55 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 57; 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 and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

'File No. 14/5 MINERAL DEPOSITS IN DHOFAR' [‎22r] (43/115), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/6/438, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100055966590.0x00002c> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100055966590.0x00002c">'File No. 14/5 MINERAL DEPOSITS IN DHOFAR' [&lrm;22r] (43/115)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100055966590.0x00002c">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000881.0x0000d5/IOR_R_15_6_438_0043.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000881.0x0000d5/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image