"F.85 ملف 82/27/IV نفط قطر" [و‎‎٤‎٢] (٤٢٢/٩٢)

4.
^ /I
lurking doubts (and it is with much reluctance that I mention
this aspect of the matter) whether we are in truth prepared to
implement our words, if and when matters come to an head, and
still fears that he may be committed to a course which will bring
trouble upon him and then find himself without support; for he
shares the view widely held along the Arab Ooast that we now
only use " Iral».tn n (words) and have lost our capacity for taking
action. I recommend, therefore, that the delivery of this
message should be followed after a short interval by a second
air reconnaissance, which should be carried further into the
British Sphere.
Shaikh 'Abdullah asked me where latitude 20° north ran
and I showed him very roughly with the help of the small sketch
map which was used in your interviews with him; but I think that
it would be wise to send him a map (not the official map) with
Bin Sa'ud's boundary and latitude 20° north marked on it. If
there is no objection to this, it would be convenient if you
would telegraph to me the one word 'MAP', as if permitted to do
so, I should like to send it at once.
ii the
He also enquired jghirthcr .-^l American
geologists (whom he did not want to come near his territory)
were to enter the British Sphere for surveying and if he
(Shaikh 'Abdullah) were to tell the British Government, would
they (the British Government) prevent them from doing so. I
said that I certainly thought that they would and that he
(Shaikh 'Abdullah) should inform me, if the geologists were to
do so, and that I would then report the matter to Government.
He said that he would like to have this request in writing, and
that the information would have to be given secretlyas he feared
the consequences, but I did not add it to my letter containing
the message of Government. I recommend that I may be permitteo.
to make this request in a further letter to Shaikh 'Abdullah.