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‘File 61/31 IV (D 120) Anglo-Saudi frontier negotiations’ [‎113r] (238/512)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (255 folios). It was created in 30 Sep 1935-24 Mar 1936. 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. .

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5
(111) / k
and Ibn Saud: but that as parts of the frontier to be
negotiated are of interest to Muscat, His Msg esty* b Govern-
-ment desire at this stage to inform the Sultan of the
position. ibn Saud has advanced a claim to a wide area
in South-Eastern Arabia extending for example to meridian
56 degrees between parallels 22 degrees and 19 degrees, and
to a line from the intersection of meridian 56 degrees and
parallel 19 degrees to the intersection of meridian 52 degrees
and ^parallel 17 degrees. His Majesty^ Government are not
prepared to recognise the whole of these claims, which in the
South certainly would encroach on territory which they
recognise as appertaining to the Sultan. His Majesty's
Government, however, see no objection to recognising ibn
Baud’s claim to an area in the Great Sands extending Eastward
at any rate as far as meridian 55 degrees between parallels
22 degrees and 20 degrees and in the South to a line drawn
from the latter intersection to the intersection of meridian
52 degrees and parallel 19 degrees. These are sectors of
the proposed frontier with which muscat would be concerned.
6 * Watts should then ask the Sultan what he
regards as the Western boundary of his own domimions and
should ascertain from him whether it would encroach on
territory to which Muscat has a supportable claim or would
adversely affect any muscat interests if the offer now to
be made to Ibn Saud were to include the small additional
area covered by sectors (2) and [3) in alternative (b) in
paragraph 3 above.
Please instruct Watts to approach Sultan at
once on the lines indicated in paragraphs 5 and 6 above.
Matter is very urgent as it is desired if possible to give
Ryan definite instructions as between the alternatives in
paragraph 3 before he leaves Hahrain for Riadji on .November
20 th. ohis will mean that reply should be received here
if

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Content

The volume’s contents relate to ongoing negotiations between the British and Saudi Governments over the formal establishment of Saudi Arabia’s southern and eastern borders. The volume, which is a continuation of correspondence found in IOR/R/15/1/605, focuses on land which is covered by the Qatar Oil Concession, and is disputed by King ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd (Ibn Sa‘ūd) of Saudi Arabia and Shaikh ‘Abdullāh bin Jāsim Āl Thānī of Qatar. The volume’s principal correspondents are Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard 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. in Bahrain, and Andrew Ryan, British Minister at Jeddah.

Contents of the volume include:

  • Correspondence relating to the arrangements and outcome of a Royal Air Force (RAF) aerial reconnaissance survey, conducted in October 1935, over Qatar’s projected southern boundaries;
  • A map showing the reconnaissance route (folio 74B), a number of aerial photographs (folios 75-81), and a report of the reconnaissance (folios 72-73) are included in the volume;
  • The Saudi Government’s response to the signing of an oil concession between the Shaikh ‘Abdullāh and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company;
  • British objections to direct communication between Ibn Sa‘ūd and Shaikh ‘Abdullāh, with the assertion that such communication contravenes treaties signed with the British Government; discussion over the extent of Abu Dhabi’s territory, including a telegrammed report, written by Loch, dated 4 November 1935, of a conversation with Shaikh Shakbut bin Sultan of Abu Dhabi over his territories (folios 92-94);
  • An RAF sketch map of the Qatar Peninsula (folio 146);
  • A report of a conversation in January 1936 between Loch and Shaikh ‘Abdullāh concerning Qatar’s southern boundaries, with a sketch map included (folios 190-95);
  • Suggestions of an earlier agreement between Qatar and the Saudi Kingdom predating Britain’s 1916 treaty with Qatar.
Extent and format
1 volume (255 folios)
Arrangement

The volume’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest items at the front of the volume to the latest at the end. There is a set of office notes at the end of the volume (folios 235-44) that mirror the chronological arrangement. An index at the front of the volume (folio 2) lists key topics covered, with a folio number which refers to the original uncircled pencil foliation system used throughout the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: There are two incomplete foliation sequences and one complete foliation sequence. The complete sequence is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. It begins on the first folio after the front cover, on number 1A, and ends on the last folio of writing, which is f 245. The following foliation anomalies occur: ff 1A-D; ff 74A-B.

Other characteristics: The volume contains a number of photographs (folios 75-81) which are housed in transparent polyester sleeves.

Written in
English in Latin script
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‘File 61/31 IV (D 120) Anglo-Saudi frontier negotiations’ [‎113r] (238/512), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/606, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100050152384.0x000027> [accessed 4 April 2025]

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