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'File 2/10 1 II. AVIATION. ROYAL AIR FORCE. (1) Reconnaissance of Basrah, Aden, Muscat, Masirah, Murbat, Sauqrah Bay Etc. AIR ROUTE.' [‎86r] (182/474)

The record is made up of 1 volume (233 folios). It was created in 23 Dec 1926-22 Dec 1931. 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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(b) itlm/ary of .ygedition.
Stage 1.
'tie left 3AHAH in the afternoon of 12th aiay ancl
reached AL the same evening, camping there for the
night. Here your three lettere addressed to the
respective Uhaiishs of Ban! Ka^to, >iaiia and Afeu Lhahi were
handed to me. he Bani Ka’ab letter was delivered at
Once to Shaikh Salim, who accompanied us. on the follow-
Mj|g day we proceeded without incident via WILI and GZHhiff
to MXLL.tXYlHAH. On the 14th we moved at dawn down
into the WABI JIZ2I proper. a»»lng SAItAILAH the
Shaikh's fort fired what was ostensibly the usual welcome
byit the R.A.J. officers averred that the bullets came so
close that the reception had no friendly meaning. I was
not present at the time having gone back from Millaiyinah
to explore an ancient feiej system, but coming on later
caught up the party at RUBJ AS 3HUKRAXHX, an outpost of
i£uscat territory. Here the harden of the fort, Ahaikh
3AI.IM BIN ABhbLhlH, a shady character, met us and warned us
of a hostile Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Jiszi ahead, in token of which he pro-
-duced a letter from fhoikii H Bill KBALFAK, of the
SHtJWAMIS — l^haikh Randan forbade our progress without his
concent. He Cicae in at AHAh however, cur i:e>vt xxalting
place, in response to our messenger. vt xhan too v/e
despatched the WALI MUDHASTAR and two ahaikhs to BIHAlhl
carrying yotir letter to the Ka'i® ShJiikh. In the
afternoon we left for HAlh, the recently joined ahuwamis
Shaikh and a dozen of his tribesmen accompanying us. Cn
arriving at a tux*n in the narrow WADI A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. ZlfltfASH this party,
which was dismounted, ran forward a few yards ahead oi the
column, loaded their rifles, and started a fracas. Thsir
Shaikh, Kafikian , later r^asbureu us tliat it was purely an
inter-tribal squabble but it may conceivably have been
intended to weaken our resolution to go on. It held us
up for a few minutes only and we reached Hail after dark.
The

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Content

The volume contains correspondence related to the Air Staff Intelligence, Air Headquarters, Baghdad’s request for information to be obtained from Muscat regarding the possible establishment of a subsidiary air route from Iraq to India via the Arabian side of the Gulf. The required information was concerning the straight line Mirfah-Biraimi-Khaburah. Arrangements were made for some Royal Air Force (RAF) representatives to visit the region accompanied by a doctor, and Bertram Sidney Thomas, Financial Advisor to the Sultan of Muscat and Oman.

The correspondence contains information on the estimates of the cost of the journey including hire of camels; cost of feeding men and camels; presents to be given to the Shaikhs; wages and foodstuffs, coffee etc.

Letters were sent to various Shaikhs and Walis in Sohar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Baraimi [Buraimi] and other regions, asking them to assist the Royal Air Officers while conducting their work. The correspondence contains letters of certain Shaikhs such as Shaikh Salim bin Diyin [Dayyin] Al-Ka‘bi and Shaikh ‘Isa bin Salih Al-Ḥārithī [Al Harthi] negotiating the terms for them to accept the RAF work to take place. It also contains reports about the troubles made by some of the Bedouin tribes.

Bertram Sidney Thomas reported on his observation on the proposed seaplane flight along the south Arabian coast. He also sent a report (ff 82- 130) to the Sultan and 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. on the proceedings of the RAF Trans-Oman Expedition which he conducted from Sohar to Sharjah between 12 May and 3 June 1927. The report is in two parts covering the following: preliminary situation; itinerary of expedition; description of country passed through; tribal situation and Ibn Saud; personalities; tribal considerations and the air route.

The volume also includes correspondence with the Sultan of Socotra regarding the construction of landing ground in his territory near Qishn. It also includes correspondence about the Air Ministry’s interest in extending the reconnaissance to establish landing grounds along the southern coast of Arabia.

Among other correspondents in the volume 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. , Muscat; Muscat and Oman, Council of Ministers; and C Hilton Keith, Squadron Leader RAF, Sohar.

Extent and format
1 volume (233 folios)
Arrangement

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 229; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves. 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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'File 2/10 1 II. AVIATION. ROYAL AIR FORCE. (1) Reconnaissance of Basrah, Aden, Muscat, Masirah, Murbat, Sauqrah Bay Etc. AIR ROUTE.' [‎86r] (182/474), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/6/86, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100066728591.0x0000b7> [accessed 23 February 2025]

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