File 1421/1908 Pt 3 'Persia: oil; negotiations between the Shaikh of Mohammerah and the Anglo-Persian Oil Co.' [‎326r] (217/338)

[This Docmnent is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Govenmffnt.]
PERSIA.
[August 9.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 10.
[29934]
No. 1 .
K BSEPI9C9 l
Consul-General Cox to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received August 9.)
(No. 8 . Commercial.)
Sir } Bushirfiy July 18, 1909.
IN continuation of my telegram from Fao dated the 17th instant, I have the
honour to submit a copy of the agreement concluded on the 10th July, 1909, between
the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (Limited) and the Sheikh of Mohammerah.
Urgencies which I find awaiting disposal on my return to head-quarters to-day
prevent my submitting with it, as I had intended, a memorandum of comment which I
have recorded in rough, together with a copy of my letter of assurance to the sheikh
in connection with the question of reversion. I shall do so by next post, and request
that you will be pleased to await my further communication before the terms of the
agreement are critically examined.
I have, &c.
P. Z. COX, Major,
British Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and His
Britannic Majesty's Consul-General for Ears, fyc.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Agreement entered into between the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (Limited) and the Sheikh
of Mohammerah, dated Ahwaz, the 16th July, 1909.
AGREEMENT entered into between the Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Arfa, Amir Nuyan, Sheikh Khazal
Khan ibn Haji Jabir Khan, Sheikh of Mohammerah, on behalf of ^himself, heirs and
successors, and his tribesmen, on the one part, hereinafter called the sheiklq and
Messrs. Anglo-Persian Oil Company (Limited), of London, on the other pait, hereinafter
called “ the company,” in respect of lands required by the said company m the terri
tories of the former, for the purposes of their business, under the exclusive privileges
of the concession granted to Mr. W. K. D’Arcy by His Majesty the Shah of Persia on
the 28th May, 1901.
Whereby it is agreed that:—
1 . The sheikh undertakes to hire to the said company an area free of date trees
of 650 jaribs, of 4,669 square yards per jarib, on Abbadan Island, situated between
the village of Baraim on the north-west and Buwardeh on the south-east having a
frontage of about 2,000 yards on the Shatt-al-Arab ; and also a strip of land, not less
than 30 yards in breadth, for a right of way connecting the land above-mentioned with
the Bahmanshir River, but the public rights of w r ay must remain.
2. Should the said company find the ground selected as above, alter further
examination, not suitable for their requirements, they should have the right to select
other sites of the same area and same description.
Should the company require more land, free of date trees, adjacent to the lands
leased to them, the sheikh undertakes, in case the company asks for such land within a
space of two years from the date of this agreement, to grant em an Imd
100 jaribs in area at the same moderate rate. If thesai companj
after two years from the date of this agreement, they shall pay rental at
current rate of the time for similar land in those localities. t •
3. The sheikh further undertakes to grant, free of charge to the P
of land for the laying of such pipe-lines as may be necessary, f >ov ®. “ • ’
situated in his lands or in those lands for the time being un ® r 1 errant free in
leased or purchased by him from others, with access there o, an ne JLd bv them
connection with the said pipe-line, such uncultivated land as may be needed by them
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