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Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.' [137r] (273/361)
The record is made up of 1 file (179 folios). It was created in 29 Apr 1936-15 Oct 1942. 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.
evidence with the least possible delay, and f if I can receive
orders on this reference before my departure for Dohah on
the 29th May 1938 I would take the opportunity of impressing
upon him verbally the necessity for speed. Meanwhile it may
perhaps be desirable to remind him that the Bahrain Govern
ment are in point of fact in occupation of the Islands and
that Eis Majesty 1 s Government would not be prepared to pro
hibit or restrict that occupation unless and until a con
trary claim were proved and accepted. While therefore his
claim is under consideration he must ensure that his sub
jects do nothing v/hich might lead to hostilities with the
Bahrain subjects now in Hawar.
5. These suggestions will I think be in consonance v/ith
the accepted position that Bahrain possesses a prima facie
tit-le to the Hawar Islands, but that any contrary claim
raised must be decided on its merits. It remains for con
sideration whether at this stage it is necessary to inform
the Bahrain Government officially (I have done sb unofficial
ly) that the Shaikh of Qatar has raised a claim to Hawar,
or to call on them to prepare a formal statement of their
claim in rebuttal. Personally I incline to the view that
it is not at present necessary to call on the Shaikh of
Bahrain to prepare a statement of claim with evidence in
support, as it remains to b e seen v/hether the Shaikh of
Qatar can in fact produce any evidence in support of his
claim other than a mere reference to geographical location,
which presumably will not by itself serve to contest the
Bahrain claim supported as it is, by physical occupation.
About this item
- Content
The file concerns the disputed claims of the rulers of Bahrain and Qatar to sovereignty over the Hawar Islands. The issue arose afresh in 1936 in response to a request from Petroleum Concessions Limited to settle the issue of ownership, in order that the Company could claim oil concession rights over the island as part of the concession not previously allocated to the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) (the Bahrain Unallotted Area).
The papers contain statements of evidence on both sides, and correspondence discussing the question from 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. , Bahrain; the Foreign Office; Petroleum Concessions Limited; the Government of Bahrain; and the two rulers concerned. The British Government decided in 1939, after examining the evidence, that the islands belonged to Bahrain (folio 44). The papers show that 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 Charles Geoffrey Prior, challenged the validity of this judgement in 1941, stating that the case had been decided 'according to western ideas, and no allowance has been made for local custom and sentiment' (folios 6-8). However, a subsequent letter on the subject from the Government of India to 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. concluded that it was then too late to reverse the decision (folio 4).
The Arabic language content of the papers consists of approximately five folios; these include photographs of judgements (with translation, folios 57-58) submitted by the Government of Bahrain to the British Government, showing that the Bahrain Court had exercised jurisdiction in legal cases concerning residents of Hawar (folios 130-133).
The file also includes photographs of places in Hawar (folios 126-127).
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 (179 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 181; 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. Two additional foliation sequences are also present in parallel between ff 3-179, and ff 48-88; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.' [137r] (273/361), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3895, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100076666399.0x00004c> [accessed 25 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3895
- Title
- Coll 30/159 'Ownership of Hawar Islands.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:18v, 19v:22v, 24r:24v, 28r:29v, 30v:38v, 42r:49v, 60r:67v, 85v, 86v, 87v, 88v:102v, 105r:111v, 114r:115v, 125r:125v, 128r:129r, 134r:137v, 140r:166v, 169r:170v, 176r:177v, 180r:180v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence