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Coll 30/123 'Bahrain (Unallotted Zone) Oil Concession: Negotiations with Petroleum Concessions Ltd.' [‎170r] (339/801)

The record is made up of 1 file (398 folios). It was created in 24 Oct 1935-18 May 1938. 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. .

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& the Coy.are
getting oil.
Major Prank
Holmes.
No such
Agreement
was made.
oil being found within the Sheikh’s territories were
negligible. However, using the vast experience at their
command and sparing neither time nor money, the Company
went ahead to prove their own conviction, with the result
that today Bahrein is once again enjoying prosperity.
The Company have loyally fulfilled all their
obligations to the Sheikh and this without any friction
with any of the Sheikh’s Subjects or Advisers.
In 1933 the Company, in deference to the wishes of
the Sheikh and his Advisers, suspended their then existing
application for a concession over the remainder of the
Sheikh’s territory, a step v/hich has lost them the services
of their sole adviser on local affairs.
The Company have opened up a sea-way to within three
miles of Sitrah and are now constructing a Refinery which
cannot but add to the security, wealth and importance of the
Sheikh’s domain.
Furthermore, the Company are reluctant to believe
that the Sheikh wishes to dis regard the Agreement which you
on his behalf and I on behalf of the Company came to in
July last for the preferential treatment of this Company.
That Agreement, I would recall to you, was that the
Company should have the preferential right to the whole of
the additional area for Rs.400,000 subject only to the
terms and conditions of the Agreement being settled by the
Sheikh’s Advisers.
However, if the Company must continue to bargain for
the additional area they are prepared to do so. In other
words, the Company would ask that having already done so
much for Bahrein, they may have an opportunity of fair
bargaining with any others who may appear interested in
acquiring the additional area, or a portion of it. The
Company/

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Content

The file concerns negotiations with Petroleum Concessions Limited (PCL) over oil concession rights in the Bahrain Unallotted Area (also referred to as the Additional Area), i.e. those parts of Bahrain territory not forming part of the concession awarded to the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) in 1925. The negotiations principally concerned Muharraq Island and an area around the other islands to the north of Bahrain, and the sea area to the east of Bahrain, including Fasht Dibal [Fasht ad Dībal] and the Hawar Islands.

The papers include: maps of Bahrain and proposed concession areas; draft PCL concession, 1936 (folios 361-374); minutes of meetings 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. ; negotiations with BAPCO over a counter-offer for the Unallotted area; the attitude of Shaikh Sir Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah [Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah], Ruler of Bahrain, to the negotiations, including correspondence from the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain, Charles Dalrymple Belgrave; discussions over the status of the Hawar Islands; Admiralty, Colonial Office, and Foreign Office papers concerning territorial waters, and submarine boring for oil (folios 221-225); Petroleum Department letter concerning the financial implications of the rival bids (folios 196-197); proposals to split the Additional Area between the two companies, including Belgrave's view that it would be of greater benefit to the Shaikh to have two companies working in Bahrain (folio 161); the role in the negotiations of Frank Holmes; the Ruler of Bahrain's wish to postpone discussion of the concession for a year on account of a dispute over the status of Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. , May 1937 (folios 124, 112); a suggestion by 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. , Bahrain that the Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. problem could be solved by allowing the shaikhs of Bahrain to hold Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. as their personal property (folio 102); draft PCL concession, 1938, and copy of the 1925 oil concession (folios 58-85); and suggestions of British Government support for the PCL bid (folios 9-15).

The Arabic language content of the papers consists of the bilingual Arabic and English text of the draft concession agreement of 1938, and correspondence (with English translation) from the Ruler of Bahrain.

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 (398 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 400; 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.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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Coll 30/123 'Bahrain (Unallotted Zone) Oil Concession: Negotiations with Petroleum Concessions Ltd.' [‎170r] (339/801), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3852, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100070084976.0x00008e> [accessed 16 April 2024]

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