IOR/R/15/1/669

The volume contains correspondence, primarily between the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, the Political Agent at Bahrain, the Government of India, and the Secretary of State for India regarding progress being made by the Standard Oil Company of California (later Arabian-American Oil Company) with the Hasa Concession; including wells being drilled at Abu Hadriyah [Abū Ḩadrīyah], the intention to construct a large refinery at Dharan [Aẓ-Ẓahrān] instead of at Ras Tanurah [Ra's Tannurāh], and the need therefore of a pipeline from Ras Tanura to Bahrain (also written as Bahrein) until the refinery is complete. It also includes discussions around a potential pipeline from Dharan to the Mediterranean, which was strongly opposed in the United States of America.

Reports of visits made by the Political Agent at Bahrain to Saudi Arabia to see the progress being made with the Hasa Oil Concession are also included. These visits comprised of ones to to Dharan, Ras Tanura and Abu Hadriya in May 1939, Al Khobar in November 1941 (accompanied by the Political Resident) and Al Khobar and Ras Tanurah in March 1943. Also included is a report on a private visit paid by Harold Dickson to Ras Tanurah in June 1942.

Also included is correspondence largely made up of letters intercepted by Bahrain censorship from Indian employees of the Arabian-American Oil Company working in Ras Tanura and Dharan, regarding difficulties in their working relationship with the Company, and describing their living and working conditions. The intercepted correspondence includes letters, petitions and copies of articles in Indian newspapers about the situation along with letters to and from the Protector of Emigrants in Bombay.

Later correspondence also discusses similar situations for Iraqi, Arab and Italian employees of the company and discusses potential strike action considered by these groups. Further correspondence between Sir Kinahan Cornwallis, British Ambassador to Baghdad, Loy Wesley Henderson, US Legation, Baghdad and the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf relates to letters intercepted through Iraqi Censorship regarding working conditions for Iraqi’s employed by ARAMCO in Dharan and Ras Tanura, which were being sent to Iraqi newspapers including Al Thaghr and Ash-Sha’b.

Other matters discussed in the volume include:

• a copy, acquired in December 1943, of the complete agreement in English between the Standard Oil Company of Californian and the Saudi Arab Government, along with a letter exchanged between the two parties which was an integral part of the agreement;
• reports sent from the Political Agent at Bahrain to the Political Resident relating to loans being made to the Saudi Arab Government both by the California Arabian Standard Oil Company and the British Government in order to prevent potential financial disorder in Saudi Arabia;
• correspondence between Harold Burchall of Imperial Airways Limited and William Wood Burkett of the Air Ministry regarding enquiries by the Standard Oil Company of California for advice and technical information regarding the possibility of the Oil Company operating Air Services between Bahrain and Jedda;
• progress in the negotiations between Gray, Mackenzie and Company and the Saudi Arab Government regarding the right to operate shipping and freighting at Ras Tanura, which resulted in Gray, Mackenzie and Company securing the rights to establish an office at Ras Tanura and act as the agents there in May 1939.

A series of file notes which were maintained as a record of the correspondence in the volume can be found at folios 235-250.