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‘File 7/2 III Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’ [69r] (152/522)
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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
~2-
impracticable "to construct an aerodrome on this island#
DAS ISLAITD.
It will be necessary to instal an airway beacon
of the "unattended" type on this island. Subject to final
confirmation from the Air Ministry, a landing ground will not
be needed#
SHAiUAH *
The provision of additional accommodation for
passengers is at present under consideration# Extension of
the W/T organisation will probably necessitate still further
aecoimnodation# At present I understand that in your judgment
conditions do not permit of the construction of such accommoda
tion outside the fort#
KALBA .
An emergency landing ground with a petrol store,
and possibly some sort of shelter for passengers is required#
From inform tion available, the provision of such a ground
would appear to be easier 4t Kalba than at Dibah, although
should, for any reason, it prove impossible to proceed with
Kalba} Dibah might be substituted# ^ The ground at Kalba would
be eh used only in ease of an emergency, but would need to be
of dimensions adequate for the requirements of civil aircraft,
and would have to be maintained up to the proper standard#
Maintenance, of course, would not be the responsibility of
the Shaikh. It is desirable that an airway~ beacon ( n un-
attended" type) should be erected at Kalba/Dibah#
DEBAl - H^S j AL KHAIMAH #
Imperial Airways have actually asked for Debii
as their refuelling halt, but in view of the experience of
the Royal Air Force, it would appear that Has al Khaimah
is better suited for such purpose# The alighting area at
Debai is confined, and under certain conditions of tide and
wind, it would be difficult to take off a heavily loaded
flying boat# This will be brought to the notice of Imperial
Airways, and the Company will be advised to establish their
refuelling halt at Ras al Khaimah in preference to Debai*
At whichever site is finally selected, it will be necessary
to arrange for facilities for passengers# This is the
commercial responsibility of the Company, and will probably
mean the provision of some form of craft, suitably fitted,
lying at anchor, or a building on shore# The petrol company
catering for the aircraft will also need storage Xacilities.
W/T facilities will also have to be arranged between the
refuelling point and the main signal station at Sharjah#
This may involve the establishment of a small W/T Station
ashore, or possibly it may be found convenient to locate this
on board a suitable vessel# Moorings will need to be laid
for the use of seaplanes, and the Air Ministry^mmld arrange
for the provision of a control boat to be provided# These
vessels will periodically have to be brought ashore for
cleaning and overhaul, etc* The above organisation will
necessitate the employment of a considerable number of
individuals for whom housing will have to be provided#
2# It is understood that arrangements have already been
made /
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 View the complete information for this record
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‘File 7/2 III Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’ [69r] (152/522), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/265, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023625740.0x000099> [accessed 21 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/265
- Title
- ‘File 7/2 III Landing grounds and seaplane anchorages’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 1ar:1ev, 2r:19v, 21r:50v, 55v, 57v, 60r:79v, 79ar:79av, 80r:140v, 140ar:140av, 141r:166v, 167ar:167av, 169r:175v, 175ar:175av, 176r:202v, 204r:217v, 218v:241v, 241ar:241av, 242r:248v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence