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Coll 5/28 ‘Air Route to India: Air facilities on the Arab Coast; Debai Air Agreement’ [‎10r] (18/932)

The record is made up of 1 file (465 folios). It was created in 23 Jun 1933-30 Dec 1946. 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. .

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With the conpliments of the Director-General
of Civil Aviation.
R.13848/46.
25th June, 1946.
Dear Cheetham,
B.O.A.C. have informed us that when the "C" Class Flying boats
are withdrawn at the end of this year they will no longer need the
staging posts at Sharjah/Dubai which are at present used for land
planes and flying boats respectively. They enquire whether the S.A.F.
have a continuing interest in Sharjah and if so whether they would
be prepared to maintain signals and other facilities there. So far as
B.O.A.C. themselves are concerned they would only want to keep one
mooring for emergency use.
Prima facie if B.O r A.C. no longer need to call at Sharjah and
Dubai there is no reason v/hy they should continue to provide facilities
there unless in view of the present political situation in Persia it is
considered desirable that v/e should retain any footholds wo already
have on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
The present arrangements at Sharjah and Dubai are covered by
agreements with the Sheikhs. The original agreements terminated in
1943 when they were renewed for a further period of five years. They
therefore have two more years to run before expiring. The agreements
provide- for the provision and operation by Imperial Airways (now B.O.A.C.)
of aerodrome facilities for their own purposes at specified financial
terms and for landings by R.A.F. aircraft free of cost.
We believe that the R.A.F. have in fact a continuing interest
in Sharjah which they contemplate retaining as a staging post on the
strategic route to the East but that this will not necessarily involve
regular flights.
Apart from the political considerations India is also interested
because she will sooner or later be operating airlines to the Persian Gulx
frcm Karachi to Basrah and may need the use of these stations. We are
sending a copy of this letter to France at 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 perhaps
he will bo good enough to let us havo the views of the Government of
India on this aspect.
If there are no strong objections on political grounds to B.O.A.C.’s
evacuation of Sharjah the R.A.F. would have to make their own arrangements
for the manning of the station and this change from civil to military
status would presumably require the negotiation of a nev; agreement or
at any rate a very clear understanding with the Sheikh of Sharjah,
Before we discuss this possibility with the Air iiinistry we shall
be grateful for an expression of the Foreign Office and 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.
views from the political angle. It should, however, be borne in mind
that in the event of it being thought desirable that the station
should continue to be maintained by B.O.A.C. there would be very real
practical difficulties in doing so in view of its isolated position
if no service regularly operated there.
I am sending copies of this letter to Warran at the Air Ministry
as well as to France 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. .
Yours sincerely.
N.J.A.Cheetham, Esq.,
Foreign Office,
Downing Street, lr # X.l.

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Content

The file contains correspondence and notes related to air facilities required by Imperial Airways (from 1940 the British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) along the Arabian Coast. The file therefore contains a number of lists (some of which are categorised by priority) prepared by the Air Ministry outlining British requirements for navigation beacons, wireless transmissions sets, direction finding sets, moorings for flying boats etc; the lists prepared by the Air Ministry are revised over time to reflect changing requirements, for example the introduction of night flying. Also covered in the file is the establishment of a petrol dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. at Dubai in 1934 (see folio 402 for a copy of the agreement), and consideration in 1938 of arrangements for the provision of fuel at Ras al Khaimah [Ra's al-Khaymah] for Imperial Airways in cases of emergency.

Another topic featured in the file is the introduction of a flying boat service by Imperial Airways in 1937, and the selection of a suitable stopping point along the Arabian Coast. The selection process is covered, which includes consideration of Dubai (also spelt Debai and Dabai), Ras al Khaimah, and Umm al Qaiwain [Umm al-Qaywayn] as potential sites. This process culminates in the Dubai Commercial Air Agreement (1937): see folios 223-226 for a copy of the agreement with both Arabic and English translation. This includes an agreement respecting security arrangements for passengers transferred between the alighting area at Dubai and their accommodation at Sharjah: see folio 199 for an English translation of the agreement. Further correspondence relating to its renewal in 1943 can also be found in the file. The prospects for the future use of Dubai and Sharjah, as of 1946, are also briefly discussed at the end of the correspondence.

Material related to a survey of Sharjah Creek in 1939 and Dubai Creek by Bernard Whitteron in 1941 can be found between folios 36-57. This includes sketch maps the two creeks: Dubai (folio 48) and Sharjah (folios 53, and 55-56). It has been included in consideration of possible engineering work to enhance their navigability and hence their utility for flying boats.

The main correspondents are as follows: 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 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 Bahrain (Tom Hickinbotham, Hugh Weightman, and Reginald George Alban), officials of the Air Ministry, 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. .

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 (465 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 for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 466; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-465; these numbers are also written in pencil but are not circled.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 5/28 ‘Air Route to India: Air facilities on the Arab Coast; Debai Air Agreement’ [‎10r] (18/932), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/1978, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061345823.0x000013> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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