IOR/R/15/2/147

The file concerns the shipping of goods direct to the mainland of Saudi Arabia by way of Bahrain; the question of the imposition by Bahrain of transit dues on such goods; and the effect of these transit dues on relations between Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Britain.

The correspondence is mainly between the Political Agent, Bahrain; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle); and the India Office. There is also correspondence from the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave); HM Minister, Jedda [Jeddah] (Sir Andrew Ryan); and members of the ruling family of Bahrain. Enclosures to correspondence from the Political Resident to the Political Agent, Bahrain include correspondence from the Government of India, and the Foreign Office.

The papers cover: minutes of meeting held at the Foreign Office on 8 October [1934] to discuss relations between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, November 1934; the possibility that Saudi Arabia might develop Ras Tanurah [Ra’s Tanūrah] as a port for direct steamer traffic; continuing references to the incident concerning the SS Ahmedi in 1932, when transit dues were imposed by Bahrain on goods being taken direct to Saudi Arabia; the conference at Bahrain in March-April 1935 between representatives of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to discuss the issue of transit dues, February-April 1935; and drafts and discussions over an agreement on transit dues between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia following the Bahrain conference, May-September 1935. (The dates given refer to main items of correspondence, and may include enclosures of an earlier date.)

The Arabic language content of the file consists of thirteen folios, mainly correspondence (with English translations) between Shaikh Hamad bin Isa al Khalifah [Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah], Ruler of Bahrain; and the Political Agent, Bahrain.

The date range gives the covering dates of the main items of correspondence; however, the earliest dated document is the enclosed set of minutes dated 8 October [1934] on folios 7-18, and the last dated addition to the file is an entry in the notes on folio 243 dated 24 October [1935].