Skip to item: of 801
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

Coll 30/123 'Bahrain (Unallotted Zone) Oil Concession: Negotiations with Petroleum Concessions Ltd.' [‎256r] (511/801)

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. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

6. On the other hand, the Government of India decision (if it
may be taken as such) referred to in my paragraph 5 above did not
specifically refer to Hawar, it is beyond doubt that the Island
has long been occupied by the Dowasir tribe of Bahrain (vide
paragraph 7 of letter No.207 dated the 4th April 1909 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. , Bahrain, 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. , copy forward
ed to the Government of India under the latter 1 s letter No.1043
dated the 2nd May 1909, and the reference to the Gazetteer of the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. quoted in my paragraph 5 above), and it appears
beyond doubt that the present Shaikh of Bahrain’s father (who
succeeded in 1869) and the Shaikh himself have exercised active
jurisdiction in Hawar down to the present day, (vide paragraphs
4-6 of letter No.C/180 dated the 28th April 1936 from the Adviser
to the Government of Bahrain 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. , Bahrain),
apparently without interference or protest by the Shaikh of Qatar.
7. In all the circumstances of the case, I incline to the
view that Hawar should be regarded as belonging to the Shaikh of
Bahrain and that the burden of disproving his claim lies on the
Shaikh of Qatar. We have heard nothing on the subject from the
Shaikh of Qatar, and it is quite possible that he may not dispute
the claim of the Shaikh of Bahrain.
8 . The decision as to the ownership of Hawar may, according
to Major Holmes (vide paragraph 3 of Captain Hickinbotham's letter
No.C/224 dated the 9th May 1936), affect the future activities of
the Bahrain Petroleum Company as, if it is awarded to Bahrain,
that Company may think it worth while to compete with Petroleum
Concessions Limited for the remaining area.
sd. T.C.Fowle,
Lieut•-C olonel•
Attested . 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. .
fct Secretary to the Political
Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .

About this item

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
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

Coll 30/123 'Bahrain (Unallotted Zone) Oil Concession: Negotiations with Petroleum Concessions Ltd.' [‎256r] (511/801), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3852, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100070084977.0x000072> [accessed 18 April 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_100070084977.0x000072">Coll 30/123 'Bahrain (Unallotted Zone) Oil Concession: Negotiations with Petroleum Concessions Ltd.' [&lrm;256r] (511/801)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100070084977.0x000072">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000648.0x0001a4/IOR_L_PS_12_3852_0523.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_100000000648.0x0001a4/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image