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‘File 28/74 Oil storage facilities for U.S.T.A.C. [United States Army Transport Corps] at Muharraq’ [12r] (23/246)
The record is made up of 1 file (121 folios). It was created in 20 Nov 1943-14 Dec 1944. It was written in English. 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.
n »
o •
sure that .the number of semi-skilled men required by them
could not be found locally though in my opinion ample
coolies
A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory.
would be forthcoming. I did not anticipate any opposition
to semi-skilled labour being imported for the work provided
(a) we were unable to produce the men locally,
(b) the Bahrain Petroleum Company could not make men
available temporarily, and
(c) that they took them away again when their work was
completed.
I deprecated the importation of labour on principle and because
the high wage rates that these men would expect and receive
would disturb the local labour market.
7. Fuel storage installations would he required on Mahrraq
i
Island and they proposed to carry fuel by tank lorry from
Sitra to the west side of the cause-way bridge and them pump
the fuel via submarine pipe direct to the fuel storage tanks.
I said I did not like the idea from a security point of view
and would prefer to see the fuel brought by barge from Sitra
direct to the south-west corner of Malirraq Isknd and thence
i
by pipe-line to the storage plant.
8. I was given to understand that the American Air Force
detachment would be provisioned from outside and would either
drink the local water or that they would erect a small distil
lation plant similar to that now in use at Masira. They
would also arrange their own medical facilities.
9. Major Van Nostrund asked me whether there would be any
delay in their commencing operations from a political stand
point. I replied that I should make an immediate report to
Sir Geoffrey Prior 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.
and that when the Air Liaison Officer gave the details of
*
the areas on Mahrraq Island which the Royal Air Force might
desire to lease in connection with the scheme I would make a
further report. I should then await instructions and could
not foretell how long it would be before they reached me but
provided 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.
and the Air Ministry had approved
the project I did not anticipate any protracted delay.
About this item
- Content
The file contains copies of correspondence, reports and other papers concerning oil storage facilities requested by the United States Army Transport Corps (USATC) at Muharraq airfield in Bahrain. The principal correspondents in the file 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. at Bahrain (Major Tom Hickinbotham); the Royal Air Force (RAF) Air Liaison Officer (ALO) at Bahrain, Squadron Leader W A Chase; representatives of the Air Ministry and 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. .
The file includes:
- correspondence and notes, chiefly written by 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 Bahrain during the period November to December 1943, concerning meetings held with the ALO at Bahrain, US Army and RAF officials, concerning the USATC’s requests for Bahrain and Sharjah (specifically, aviation fuel supplies, accommodation and wireless facilities at Bahrain), in anticipation of the increased movement of US troops to the Far East theatre of war (ff 2-36);
- correspondence dated 1944 concerning the installation of a pipeline to carry aviation fuel from the Bahrain Petroleum Company’s (BAPCO) refinery to the RAF jetty at Manama and airfield at Muharraq, and fuel storage tanks at Muharraq. Correspondence concerning the fuel storage tanks occupies much of the remainder of the file, and includes correspondence between various parties including 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 Bahrain, 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. (Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior) and 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. and Air Ministry officials. The correspondence includes: BAPCO objection to the erection of tanks on behalf of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), who supply aviation fuel to the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and RAF at Muharraq; proposals for the RAF to purchase and install fuel tanks; legal questions over whether the storage of AOIC fuel for use by BOAC at Bahrain contravenes the exclusive rights BAPCO holds with the Government of Bahrain; the Air Ministry’s assertion of its right to construct and maintain fuel storage facilities at Bahrain for its air stations (f 120).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (121 folios)
- Arrangement
The file’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest item at the front to the latest at the end. The are no file notes at the end 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 123; 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. An additional mixed foliation/pagination sequence is also present in parallel between ff 2-122; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘File 28/74 Oil storage facilities for U.S.T.A.C. [United States Army Transport Corps] at Muharraq’ [12r] (23/246), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/761, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025782255.0x000018> [accessed 2 December 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/761
- Title
- ‘File 28/74 Oil storage facilities for U.S.T.A.C. [United States Army Transport Corps] at Muharraq’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:40v, 43r:121v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence