'File 17/14 I Toshakhana Articles for Bushire Correspondence regarding.'

Content

The file is concerned with the Bushire Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. [ Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. ] Toshakhana — a store of gifts kept with the Bahrain Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , so that they would be available for presentation to the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Shaikhs when needed. Regular stock accounts are submitted to Bushire to keep the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. updated on the number and range of articles being held on its behalf. The bulk of the file is concerned with the acquisition of new articles for the Bushire Toshakhana; the purchase of weapons and ammunition makes up almost the entirety of these purchases. The file therefore contains supporting correspondence, invoices, payment receipts, as well as export licenses and 'No Objection Certificates' to facilitate the export of weaponry. The principal suppliers are F P Baker and Company Limited and Suleman Omer and Company, Karachi.

Also contained in the file is correspondence between British officials in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; this correspondence is either concerned with new acquisitions for the Toshakhana, the transfer of articles between agencies, or making arrangements for presenting gifts to the various Shaikhs of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. . The main corresponding officials are 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 (Charles Geoffrey Prior, Percy Gordon Loch, and Tom Hickinbotham); 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. , Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Trenchard Craven Fowle and Hugh Weightman); the Secretary 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. ; the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent, Sharjah; and the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. 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. .

Also within the file is an exchange from July 1941 (folios 249-251) between the Bahrain 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. and Charles Belgrave, Adviser to the Government of Bahrain, regarding arrangements for cleaning the weaponry stored in the Toshakhana.

The Arabic language content consists of a couple of letters (folios 43-44 and folio 60) with English translation from the Bahrain 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. to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent, Sharjah, as well as five letters (folios 45-50) 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. presenting gifts to various Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Shaikhs; their translated replies in English can be found on folios 70-75.

Extent and format

1 file (335 folios)

Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear 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 337; 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 present in parallel between ff 3-303 and ff 305-316; these numbers are written in pencil, but are not circled (except for a number of circled numbers which have been crossed out).

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/15/2/1615

Former external reference(s)

English Office Files: 17/14 I

History of this record

Date(s)

4 Feb 1930-29 Oct 1942 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

AmmunitionArms salesGiftsGuns

People & organisations

Secretary to the Political Resident in the Persian GulfPolitical Resident, Persian GulfF P Baker & Company Limited

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'File 17/14 I Toshakhana Articles for Bushire Correspondence regarding.', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/1615, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000282.0x00015e> [accessed 6 April 2025]

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