مراسلات بشأن الامتيازات في البحرين والكويت وغيرها بين ١٩٣٢-يوليو ١٩٣٣ (مطبوع سري رقم ٤٩ للمكتب الاستعماري في الشرق الأوسط) [ظ‎‎٩‎٩] (٢٨٤/٢٠٠)

172
concessions in Kuwait, which have been made by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company
and the Eastern and General Syndicate.
2. Sir Samuel Hoare has no observations to make on the statement. He agrees
that an immediate decision need not be taken on the question of safeguards, to which
reference is made in the last paragraph of the covering memorandum by the Peti oleum
Department, and he agrees also to the suggestion (at the end of the draft memorandum
for submission to the Shaikh) that the Shaikh might make the grant of a concession
subject to the formal agreement drawn up between him and the successful competitor
covering such points as His Majesty's Government might, for whate^r leason, ad\ise
him to insist on. • i tt
3. As regards the instructions to be sent to Colonel Fowle, Sir Samuel Hoare
would suggest that the Political Resident might be informed that, as he was aware, it
was very desirable from the point of view of His Majesty's Government to reach a
definite decision on this question, in view of the strong pressure which is being brought
to bear by the American oi] interest concerned on the Foreign Office, and that His
Majesty's Government trust, therefore, that he and the Political Agent, Kuwait, will
be able to persuade the Shaikh to reach a decision as between the rival Companies in
the light of the information contained in the Petroleum Department's memorandum;
that at the same time, as the Resident will appreciate, it is most important, in case
the Shaikh should decide in favour of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, that His
Majesty's Government should be able to avoid any suggestion that pressure has been
brought to bear upon the Shaikh, or that the decision is not His Excellency's own,
and that in these circumstances the Resident and the Political Agent, while at liberty
to give the Shaikh any explanation which he may wish either of the actual statements
in the Petroleum Department's memorandum or of the effect, in the light of that
memorandum, of adopting one or the other Concession, should put the burden of
the choice entirely upon His Excellency.
4. Copies of this letter are being sent to the Foreign Office, Admiralty, and
Petroleum Department.
I am, &c-,
J. G. LAITHWAITE.
C. 98026/82 [No. 135].
No. 178.
ADMIRALTY to FOREIGN OFFICE.
(Copy received in Colonial Office, 14th November, 1932.)
(Confidential.)
,SiR, 12th November, 1932.
With reference to the Petroleum Department's letter No. P.D.98 Part 2 of
9th November, 1932, enclosing a memorandum* on the draft concessions for Kuwait
submitted by the Eastern and General Syndicate and the Anglo-Persian Oil Company,
I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for
the information of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, that they note that a
copy of the memorandum has been sent by the Colonial Office to the Political Resident
in the Persian Gulf with instructions that he is to take no action upon it until he
has received further directions.
2. My Lords think it desirable that these directions should be considered by
an interdepartmental meeting and they propose therefore that such a meeting should
be held forthwith for this purpose.
3. A copy of this letter has been sent to Colonial Office and Petroleum Depart
ment.
I am, &c.,
J. S. BARNES.
* Enclosure in No. 174.