'File 82/1 [I] (F 52) A.P.O.C. and Oil Concessions Arab Coast'

Content

The file contains correspondence and telegrams between the Political Department and the Under Secretary of State 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. in London, Sir Winston Churchill (Secretary of State for the Colonies at the time), 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. at Bushire, 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. at Kuwait, the Vice-Consul at Mohammerah [Khorramshahr, Iran] and Anglo Persian Oil Company (APOC) representatives regarding contacts with local rulers about oil concessions in Bahrain and Kuwait.

The file also contains:

• copy of a letter 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. to the Foreign Secretary to the Government of India, dated 8 September 1921, on oil explorations in the various Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. states, and on APOC's desire to exclusive prospective rights in Oman (folios 11-13);
• draft agreement between the rulers of Bahrain and Kuwait and D'Arcy Exploration Company Limited for oil explorations (1921 ca.) (folios 22-27, 102-107 and 257-260);

• notes concerning meetings of Major Frank Holmes with Ibn Saud re oil exploration in Arabia [Saudi Arabia] (folio 80)

• letter 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. at Muscat 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. regarding oil in Muscat (folios 96-97).

The file is incomplete. Some letters, mainly containing pledges signed by Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. rulers not to grant any oil concession to anyone except with the permission of the British Government, were removed from the original file and forwarded to the Foreign Office in 1953. In these instances the former numbering sequence presents gaps, and these letters are replaced by folios indicating page numbers, sender, receiver, date and subject of the letter removed. These letters are now in FO 371/7723 and FO 371/104408.

Extent and format

1 file (151 folios)

Arrangement

The documents in the file are mostly arranged in chronological order.

Physical characteristics

The main foliation is in pencil in encircled numbers in top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. The numbering starts on the front cover with 1 and carries on until 153, which is the last number given on the back cover of the file. A former sequence runs from the first to the last folio of writing, pencil numbers (not circled) in top right recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio, not crossed through - the numbering runs 1-260 missing numerous numbers out. The reason is that some letters were removed from the original file to be forwarded to the Foreign Office in 1953, whereas the former numbering sequence presents gaps.

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

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.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/1/618

Former external reference(s)

Confidential series: F 52 A Series: 82/1 [1]

History of this record

Date(s)

30 Jun 1921-30 Apr 1923 (CE, Gregorian)

Related material

Related primary sources

FO 371/7723; FO 371/104408

Subjects

Concessions, Oil, BahrainConcessions, Oil, Kuwait

Places

BahrainOmanKuwaitSitrahSitraNew DelhiSharjah

People & organisations

Political Agent, KuwaitPolitical Agent and Consul, MuscatD'Arcy Exploration Company LimitedBritish Vice-Consul, KhorramshahrSecretary of State for India, United KingdomSecretary of State for the Colonies, United KingdomKing of Saudi Arabia 'Abd al-'Azīz bin 'Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa'ūdFrank Holmes

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'File 82/1 [I] (F 52) A.P.O.C. and Oil Concessions Arab Coast', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/618, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x000250> [accessed 28 March 2025]

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