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‘File 7/2 III Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’ [‎234r] (490/522)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (251 folios). It was created in 24 Mar 1935-19 Dec 1935. 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. .

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X/W
when he was being most helpful the P.A. brought him
a letter containing threats and that if this was the
way His Britannic Majesty's Government treated him
(here slapping his hands) he had no more to say. The
P.A. reminded the Shaikh that he had given his written
consent to the construction of a petrol store and
beacon and that there was no further use in discussing
consequences if he had not done so and that all that
was
now remained/for him to express his regret to Commander
Harvey for his past possible unintentional lack of
courtesy and that therefater the former happy relations
between us all would be restored. The Shaikh replied
that he had always kept His Majesty's Ships waiting
before without complaint and that he saw no reason to
alter this habit in future and that he would come off
to ships at his convenience. P.A. then asked Shaikh
why he had kept Commander Harvey waiting for half an
hour when returing his call at a prearranged time
during a visit of His Majesty's Fowey on 2nd May ,1335.
This was not a question of keeping a ship waiting but a
matter of ordinary manners and hospitality to a guest*
In reply the Shaikh said that he was ill( a fact that
carried no conviction since were he really ill, he would
have sent a message to that effect to Commander Harvey-
as is usually done by other Shaikhs) # The Shaikh
continued in this attitude and refused to express
regret to Commander Harvey, Since his lack of self
control was leading him quickly towards adopting an
insulting attitude tov/ards the P.A, in particular and
the British Government and Officers in general, the
P.A. concluded the meeting and warned the Shaikh that
should his attitude remain unchanged the probable
consequences /

About this item

Content

The volume is a continuation of correspondence from ‘File 7/2 II Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’ (IOR/R/15/2/264), its contents relating to ongoing negotiations between Arab rulers and the British Government, Royal Air Force, and Imperial Airways, on the installation and maintenance of air facilities along the Arab coast, between Qatar and Ra’s al-Khaymah. The principal correspondents in the file are Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven Fowle, 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 Percy Gordon Loch, 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 Bahrain, and Captain A Cole, Officiating 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 Bahrain.

The main issues raised in the volume are:

1. Disagreements between British officials and Shaikh Shakbut bin Sultan of Abu Dhabi, over the installation of a petrol store at Abu Dhabi, not officially mentioned in the agreement signed between the two parties on 13 February 1935, and only verbally agreed upon. In a letter addressed to the Shaikh, dated 5 June 1935, Fowle threatened action against Abu Dhabi’s pearling fleet, should he continue to raise objections to the expansion of air facilities in his domains (folios 64-66). Fowle’s letter led to an angry exchange between Shaikh Shakbut and British officials aboard HMS Fowey (reported in a letter from Cole to Fowle, folios 93-97), which in turn led to protracted mediations prior to Shaikh Shakbut issuing a formal apology over his outburst (folios 122-23).

2. Proposals for a seaplane anchorage at Umm al-Qaywayn (folios 138-40a), including a visit to the Arab coast by Mr B Cross, Manager of the Near East Area for Imperial Airways Limited, in order to ascertain the best site for such a facility (folios 185-87).

The volume also contains a number of revised schedules of air facilities required along the Arab coast of the Gulf, listing facilities by both location and by RAF or civil aviation function (folios 68-72, 173-75a, 196-200).

Extent and format
1 volume (251 folios)
Arrangement

The volume’s correspondence is arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest items at the front of the volume to the latest at the end. Some items in the volume are marked with red or blue crayon numbers (for incoming or outgoing items respectively), and are prefixed by the letters S.No [Serial number]. This numbering system constitutes part of the original filing arrangement, and is referred to in the office notes at the end of the file (folios 230-44).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The volume is foliated from the front cover to the inside back cover, using circled pencil numbers in the top-right corner of each recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. . An earlier foliation system, which uses uncircled pencil numbers in the top-right corner of rectos, runs through the volume. The following anomalies occur in the main foliation system: 1a-1e, 79a, 140a, 167a, 195a, 241a. The following folios are fold-outs: 7, 11, 13, 20, 64, 76.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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‘File 7/2 III Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’ [‎234r] (490/522), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/265, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023625742.0x00005b> [accessed 6 April 2025]

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