'File 14/115 VII Annex (B 9) Abu Musa oxide: collected background material on the case' [‎164v] (339/1904)

8
from the island of Sir Abu Nuair. I have there
fore the honour to inform you that it would be
advisable for you to let me see the draft of the
concession before concluding the arrangements.
" 1 shall also be glad if you will let me see a
copy of the concession granted to Haji Nakhoda
All for working the red oxide mines on the island
of Abu Musa."
It will thus be seen that the arguments based
by the German Government on conjectures as to pp- 7, &
the words used by Colonel Kemball fall to the
ground. Colonel Kemball's only object was to
offer advice to the sheikh (as it was his duty to
do) as to the terms of any concession he might
propose to grant. This was the more necessary as
Nakhoda Ali was a person of doubtful character
(see Appendix 9). The sheikh replies that Colonel
Kemball was mistaken in supposing that Nakhoda
Ali was one of the con cessionnaires, and states
quite accurately the circumstances of the grant,
including the fact that Salim made it as Regent.
His Majesty's Government are unable to agree
with the German Government that " it cannot P- &■
be inferred from this letter that Salim was acting
only as Regent"; the fact is stated in the
plainest terms, and strong corroboration is derived
from the phrase used in Esa's letter to Sheikh
Sagar dated the 20th February, 1907 (Appen
dix 27)—"the lease which I and two partners
acquired from the Government relating
to the extraction of red oxide from your of
Abu Musa." With regard to the suggestion that
the statement that Salim cultivates in the island p. 8.
implies that he was the owner of it, His Majesty's
Government would only remark that if this
contention is correct every tenant is the owner of
the land he holds. No inference can be drawn
from the quotation from the Administration p. 7
Eepoft on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , which appears to be
based on incomplete information. The locality of
the mines is not stated, and the erroneous state
ment is made that Nakhoda Ali was the lessee,
while it is expressly stated that further enquiry
will be made.
With regard to the statement alleged to have
been made on the 28th November, 1907, by p. g.
Sagar on the subject of the treaty of 1892, the
account of the conversation which the sheikh
gave to His Majesty's Government soon after
it took place does not tally with that contained in