"ملف 8/15 سلسلة الجزيرة العربية - ١٩٣٣-١٩٣٩" [و‎‎١‎٣‎٨] (٤٣٤/٢٧٥)

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3. In these circumstances we fully concur in the terms of Starling’s
letter referred to above and hope that the Colonial Office may find it possible
to inform Sir B. Reilly that His Majesty’s Government would like to see
Petroleum Concessions Limited get the concession in preference to any
Italian concern and that within the limitations described above he should
therefore facilitate the company’s task in any way he properly can. It
could of course be pointed out to Sir B. Reilly that it would not be proper
for him to take any direct part in the negotiations or to urge the grant of
a concession to the Company.
4 . Since this letter was drafted I have received your letter No. 78026/
36 of 22nd August to Rendel (who is on leave) asking for our views on this
subject, which I think are clearly set forth above.
5. I am sending a copy of this letter to Starling.
Letter from Petroleum Concessions Limited, City-Gate House,'
Pinabury Square, London, E. C.-2, to the Under Secretary of
State for the Colonies, Colonial Office, Whitehall, S. W.-l, No.
P. C.-41/92, DATED THE 3RD SEPTEMBER 1936.
In continuation of our letter of March 23rd, 1936, upon which your
letter No. 78026/36, dated April 23rd, furnished certain comments, we
have now to report that, as suggested in our letter, Major Holmes has
addressed His Majesty the Imam, offering his services in the direction
of exploring the oil resources of the Yemen, and asking for an audience.
He received a reply from the Imam about a month ago, a translation of
which is passed to you herewith.
Major Holmes has, owing to preoccupations in the Persian Gulf, not
been able to visit Aden as he had hoped. His letter to the Imam was,
however, communicated through the Chief Commissioner.
The Company has not, at the moment, developed any further plans for
approaching the Government of the Yemen, but should it do so we will
communicate them to you in due course.
Translation cf a letter from the Imam of the Yemen to Major Holmes,
DATED THE 2ND DAY OF RaBI AL THANI, 1355.
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful; to his Honour,
the respected Major Holmes.
We have been glad to receive your letter dated the 29th May, 1936,
which was submitted to us through the respected Government of Aden, and
we thank you for your sincerity and love shown towards the Arab people,
and, in particular, we are greatly pleased by the success of your under-
* » taking in a country which is a brother of our Kingdom, according to what
we have learnt from the details given in your letter; and be sure that I
share in the gratitude of my brothers, the principality and people of
Bahrain, for your services there. As regards your wish to visit our
f k Kingdom and initiate scientific enquiries there also, we hasten to tell you
that this desire increases our gratitude towards you; but, as no doubt you
became aware on your former visit, the particular internal conditions of
our country are not favourable to investigations in a general way, though
they would secure the pursuance of your scientific enquiries in certain
suitable areas.
We take this opportunity of expressing our appreciation of your
efforts.,
With all respects,
(Imam’s Seal)-