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Coll 30/83 'QATAR OIL CONCESSION, POLICY AND PROTECTION.' [348r] (706/1018)
The record is made up of 1 volume (505 folios). It was created in 29 Dec 1933-12 Jul 1935. 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.
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^ Qatar ill
essionfor,;,
afld, se»:
ie. Inisi
protect!,:
ch our lip
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giymg a guarantee of protection, the United States Government could well accuse
us of inconsistency as regards our “open door ” policy, on the grounds of haying
brought undue pressure to bear. In the case of the Bahrein oil concession ffi!
Majesty s Government had a good reason for diverting the concession to BHtish
interests, as m that case Bahrein was a potential naval base In the case of Oataf
P f ch ex . cus , e exls ‘ed. .In his view, therefore, the obligations and risks Hkely
L be involved were serious, and he was doubtful whether the importance of
rXTnvolved 001106881011 t0 " COmpany regiStered in Great Brltain Justified the
LORD LONDONDERRY stated that he regarded the maintenance of our
position in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
of paramount importance. In his view an under
taking to grant protection would go a long way towards re-establishing, in the
eyes of the local tribes, our prestige, which had recently suffered severely owing
to the withdrawal of our air route from Persia and other causes. He considered
that the undertaking to afford protection would not involve any great commitment
as Ibn baud was unlikely to prove hostile, and, if necessary, effective
pressure could always be brought on him. In his view the point at issue was
the phraseology in which our undertaking should be given. In connection with
this, it should be made clear to the Sheikh that he must be prepared to take
measures for his own local protection. In the event of any major raid assistance
could be given by our Royal Air Force in the Middle East, who were continually
standing by to deal with such contingencies.
SIR EDWARD ELLINGTON considered that any organised attack was
unlikely. The most probable source of trouble would be from tribes in the hinter
land. These tribes were under some form of allegiance to Ibn Saud, and might
very well get out of hand and endeavour to convert the coastal Arabs to Wahabi
doctrines. In this event the despatch of a squadron of aircraft and some armoured
cars to the Qatar peninsula should be sufficient to maintain order.
THE PRIME MINISTER referred to paragraph 12 of the Chiefs of Staff
Report (C.I.D. Paper No. 1129-B), where it was presumed that the proposed
commitment would not be entered into without prior consideration at the
Committee of Imperial Defence.
He assumed that Conclusion 1 (a), i.e., the principle of endeavouring to
secure the concession for British interests, was generally agreed to.
In connection with Conclusion 1 (5), i.e., that as a preliminary to any
guarantee of protection the boundary of Qatar should be decided on, he observed
that, in the event of oil being found beyond the boundary, i.e., to the south of
the peninsula, there might still be an obligation to protect whatever Company—
British or American—was engaged on this work.
SIR SAMUEL HOARE stated that he agreed with the Chiefs of Staff that
a definite geographical limit of our responsibility should be settled. He
considered that, in the event of the Standard Oil Company, or any other American
concern, becoming involved in trouble within Ibn Sand’s territory, His Majesty s
Government had no obligation to go to their aid.
THE PRIME MINISTER noted that, as regards the form of guarantee
(Conclusion 1 (c )), the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee had suggested that Qatar
should be recognised as an independent principality under British protection.
SIR SAMUEL HOARE considered that this wording was too general to
be acceptable to the Sheikh. We had already a treaty with him as an independent
ruler, and already guaranteed him protection by sea and good offices by land.
At the same time, he agreed with the Chiefs of Staff that the formula first
proposed had been put in rather too wide terms. He thought that something
more specific was required, and suggested that the Departments concerned should
work out an agreed formula.
SIR ERNLE CHATFIELD stated that the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee
had viewed the problem from two aspects. Firstly, whether protection
be given from any major attack by Ibn Saud. They ha een m orme *a
it was possible that Ibn Saud might endeavour to support the efforts of the
Standard Oil Company to secure the Qatar concession with a
absorbing Qatar. Thev considered, therefore, that what the Sheikh requ ed
^ ^ M . , Government would give him assistance
was some assurance that His Majesty s ijrovei nmen t y.
in the event of aggression or any attempt at absorption oy Ibn Saud. >
[9698] B 2
/
About this item
- Content
The volume concerns British Government policy towards Qatar in the light of the bid by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC) to obtain a concession from the Shaikh of Qatar (Abdullah bin Qasim al Thani [‘Abdullāh bin Jāsim Āl Thānī]) to produce oil in the country. The British Government were keen that the concession should be obtained by a British company (APOC) and not by the Americans (Standard Oil Company of California). The oil concession was granted to APOC in 1935.
The papers include: discussion of policy by various British Government departments and officials (notably 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. , Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Trenchard Craven William Fowle; the Government of India, Foreign and Political Department; and the Foreign Office); the security of Qatar against raids from the Arabian interior; relations between Qatar and Ibn Saud [Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd, King of Saudi Arabia]; the decision of the British Government to offer military protection to Qatar in exchange for the granting of the oil concession to APOC (including discussions by the Committee of Imperial Defence, and its Standing Official Sub-committee for Questions concerning the Middle East); the development of air facilities in Qatar as a means of protecting the state, including correspondence from the Air Ministry; discussion of the Qatar boundary; note of a conversation between 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. and Haji Williamson (folios 147-148); the surrender to the British Government of jurisdiction over British subjects, British-protected persons, and non-Muslim foreigners in Qatar; the recognition of Shaikh Hamad as successor to the Shaikh of Qatar; British opposition to a request by the Shaikh of Qatar for machine guns and armoured cars, because of the provocative effect this would have on Ibn Saud (folios 33-35); agreement that the 1916 treaty between the British Government and the Shaikh of Qatar should be binding on his heirs and successors; and the terms on which military protection was to be afforded by the British Government (folios 12-14).
The papers also include correspondence between the Shaikh of Qatar and 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. .
The papers include one item of an earlier date than the main date range: a copy of the 1916 treaty between the British Government and the Shaikh of Qatar (folios 451-452).
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 volume (505 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 first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 501; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the two leading and ending flyleaves. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
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Coll 30/83 'QATAR OIL CONCESSION, POLICY AND PROTECTION.' [348r] (706/1018), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3800, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100057526959.0x00006b> [accessed 25 April 2024]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3800
- Title
- Coll 30/83 'QATAR OIL CONCESSION, POLICY AND PROTECTION.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:ii-v, 1r:17v, 18v:19v, 20v:41v, 45r:91v, 94r:113v, 126r:179v, 182r:199v, 200v:263v, 267r:450v, 453r:501v, iii-r:iv-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence