'File 14/1- Vol 6 OIL CONCESSIONS MUSCAT' [‎138r] (275/438)

C/o Petroleum Development ( Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. )
Ltd.
Dubai.
20th February 1248.
Dear Sir Rupert,
The Company have entrusted me with looking
after their affairs in the area west of the Jabal Akhdar
and it is in that capacity I am writing to you now.
2) I hope to leave here vithin the next few days
for Baraimi where I shall meet one Mohammed bin Murad,
who might be described as factor to Shaikh Suleiman bin
Himyar, and with his and Abu Dhabi's help hope to be able
to meet Shaikh Suleiman in Ibri.
Ultimately I propose trying to persuade Shaikh
Suleiman to take me to Tanuf, where his car recently
arrived, as also to let me see the Imam (and if at all
possible vShaikh Saleh bin Isa) but I do not expect him to
co-operate to that end and imagine he will, in fact,
oppose the suggestion.
3) My Company consider their concession covers
the whole of Muscat and Oman including the territory
controlled de facto by the Sultan as also that appertaining
de jure to him i.e. the Jabal and westwards to the limits
of his territory. We are, however, almost certain to be
faced with a demand for a separate agreement by one or
other of the de facto rulers in the Jabal and its neighbour
hood. ^
(F, U.
\\e should, therefore, be glad if you would
confirm that there has been no agreement or understanding
between the Sultan and the Oman tribes which limited the
Sultan's sovereignty in Oman; in particular, the Treaty of
Sib in 1921 (?) presumably did not contain any clause of
that nature?
mm
If there is no objection, could we be given
details of the relevant clauses of that Treaty?
4) I rather anticipate that Shaikh Suleiman will
not allow me to go beyond Ibri and will demand a decision
on the question of a separate agreement before permitting
the Company geologists to work: in the Ibri area. In that
event, I propose going by road to Muscat with the object of
giving the Sultan the gist of my talks with Shaikh Suleiman
and would ask 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. if he could do anything
to facilitate an agreement between the Sultan and Shaikh
Suleiman.
Yvould you kindly let me know whether you see
any objection to these plans?
5) I have given a copy of this letter to the
Political Officer Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .
Yours sincerely,
(SOD.) RICHARD BIRD.
Lt. Col. Sir W.R. Hay, K.C.I.E.,
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. ,
Bahrain.