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Coll 30/91(2) 'Koweit Oil Concession: Agreement between the Shaikh of Kuwait and the Kuwait Oil Coy.' [‎32r] (68/788)

The record is made up of 1 volume (390 folios). It was created in 19 Nov 1934-11 Oct 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. .

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DET/FHB/'DIA
,C.y i P.,.H.J„JB_a_£ 'T-EL L.E GRAM .
Prom Polxt-ical Resident In the Persian
Gulf to Secretary of State for India.
(COPIES Dated Bahrein, 4th April, 1935.
CIRCULATED)
Received 4th April, 1935, 8-35 p.m.
Jt'-r XXX
T /1Q5 <, Acid res Bed to Secretary of State for
India* copy seat by air mail to Government of India and
Koweit s Your telegram of the 18th ultimo* 852* I have
prepared letter of rebuke to the Sheikh as amended in
< Foreign Office.
2c I entixely agree as to the desirability of
obtaining assurance mentioned in paragraph No*7 of the same
letter. Request however is one which cannot be put to the
Sheikh in the shape of a deman d« refusal of which by him
would place His Majesty’s Government in an embarrassing
positions I propose, therefore* (a), to link my request
with my letter referred to in paragraph Nool above* as
suggested by you, stating that n His Majesty r 's Government
consider it (?most desirable)* that Sheikh should give
assurance in question, and (b) P to ask for assurance to
? cover £]1 concessions. (b) will leave opportunity of
obtaining assurance covering oil concessions only, should
Sheikh refuse to (? give) general assurance*
3. Please telegraph if you approve. If you do s on
receipt of your telegram, both letters will be forwarded to
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. , Koweit, by air mail from here for delivery
simultaneously to the Sheikh*
4. Your paragraph No.2. My views will be submitted
later

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Content

The file concerns the negotiations concerning the signing of the commercial agreement between the Shaikh of Koweit [Kuwait], Shaikh Ahmed al-Jabir as-Subah [Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ] and the Kuwait Oil Company in 1934. The Kuwait Oil Company was 50-50 owned by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC) and the Gulf Oil Company of Pennsylvania. The Shaikh of Kuwait was precluded from signing an agreement without the permission of the His Majesty's Government ( HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. ).

The file consists of minutes and correspondence from 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. . The other main correspondents are the Foreign Office; Traders Limited; the Kuwait Oil Company; 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 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. , Kuwait (Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Richard Patrick Dickson).

The file covers: negotiations over an oil concession between the Shaikh of Kuwait and Traders Limited; the involvement of Lord Lloyd [George Ambrose Lloyd, 1st Baron Lloyd]: in particular, Lloyd's contention that the concession should go to a wholly British-owned company, without any American involvement; enquiries into the composition of Traders Limited (e.g. folios 281-283, 273-276); company information about the concession supplied to 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. by Sir Henry Strakosch, including Strakosch's view that Traders Limited were not likely to prove as desirable a concessionaire as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company and the Gulf Oil Company of Pennsylvania (folios 197-207); 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. approval of the awarding of the concession to the Kuwait Oil Company, and correspondence with both companies; correspondence between British Government officials and the Shaikh of Kuwait, expressing the British Government's disapproval of the Shaikh's dealings with Traders Limited (especially folios 137-154); the signing of the commercial agreement on 23 December 1934; minutes of discussions at 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. between British Government officials and representatives of the Kuwait Oil Company, and Traders Limited; copies of the political and commercial agreements (folios 111-118); the suspicions of 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. , Kuwait that the Anglo-Persian Oil Company were the 'hidden hand' behind Traders Limited (folios 62-69); copy of the Kuwait oil concession document supplied to 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. by the Kuwait Oil Company, including two maps (folios 57-58) that accompanied the concession, with related correspondence (folios 38-58); discussion of what the British Government's attitude to the Shaikh of Kuwait should be in future, in view of the Shaikh's 'disregard' of his treaty obligations toward the British (e.g. folio 23); and the threat of legal action by Traders Limited against the decision to award the concession to the Kuwait Oil Company (folios 14-17).

The file also contains one document of a slightly earlier date than the stated date range: a copy of the political agreement between the British Government and the Kuwait Oil Company dated 5 March 1934 (folios 324-325).

The Arabic language content of the file consists of Arabic equivalents of place names in English on the map of Kuwait on folio 58.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (390 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 392; 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. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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Coll 30/91(2) 'Koweit Oil Concession: Agreement between the Shaikh of Kuwait and the Kuwait Oil Coy.' [‎32r] (68/788), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3812, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100056562823.0x000045> [accessed 3 April 2025]

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