File 1421/1908 Pt 3 'Persia: oil; negotiations between the Shaikh of Mohammerah and the Anglo-Persian Oil Co.' [‎272r] (109/338)

3
the Bakhtiari Agreement of 1905, and substituted a reference to the agreements
of the Company “ with others.”
No. 1222 93, dated Mohammerah, the 1st November 1910.
From— Lieutenant A. T. Wilson, Acting Consul for Arabistan,
To— His Excellency Sir George Barclay, K.C.M.G., C.V.O., His Britannic
Majesty’s Minister, Tehran.
In continuation of my despatch No. 1107-87 of the 11 th October 1910,
I have the honour to forward a copy of the Shaikh’s reply to the Persian
Government’s protest against his agreement with the Anglo-Persian Oil
Company.
A copy has been sent to Bushire.
Translation.
Dated the 27th Shawwal 1328 = 31st October 1910.
From—The Shaikh of Mohammerah,
To—The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tehran.
Your letter No. 2353 of the 25th Sha’ban has been received. I am most
grateful for your kind sentiments.
I am busy as usual looking after the frontier and seeing to the order and
arrangement of the affairs of Arabistan.
I was much surprised at what you wrote in regard to my agreement with
the Oil Company in respect of a piece of land, my own property, which I leased
to them on Jazirat al Khidar (’Abadan Island).
You stated that some of its provisions were against the interests of the
State and of myself, and that it could not receive official recognition.
I venture with great repect to submit my reply.
I would ask Your Excellency to compare the agreement with the conces
sion which the Persian Government gave to the Oil Company, and to note
with care the clauses thereof, in particular clause 3. You will then see for
yourself the care with which I drew up the clauses of my own agreement.
If the original concession of the Company, and the agreements between
them and others can be refused recognition and called in question, then mine
may also be disputed though even if some flaw be found in it. I do not think
that it could be made an excuse for cancellation and refusal of recognition, for
I obveyed strictly the clauses of the Company's concession from the Persian
Government, and leased a piece of ground to them, although the Company
have the right to purchase according to their concession. I did not, however,
think this step advisable in my own interests, and, therefore, handed over to
them a defined and restricted area of land. I am sure that if the Ministers of
State are unbiassed, they will confirm the correctness of my attitude.
8. O. P. I.—No. 1807 F. D,—5«12*10—40—L. G. G.