IOR/R/15/2/603

The volume contains correspondence related to a number of issues concerning the slave trade and slavery in the Gulf region.

The volume includes correspondence between the Political Resident (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Fowle), the Bahrain Political Agent (Hugh Weightman) and naval representatives in the Gulf, during the period July 1938 to May 1939, exploring the military options available to the British for punishing the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi for its alleged continued involvement in the slave trade. Related copies of correspondence sent to and from the Residency can also be found in the Bushire Residency series '5/193 IV (B55) Slavery in the Gulf' (IOR/R/15/1/228). A letter from the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf dated 21 July 1938 (folio 7), includes a track chart of HMS Shoreham’s trip along the Arab coast on 13 July 1938 (folio 8A). The chart shows the positions of pearling dhows and pearl banks, and was drawn up in order to assess the feasibility of British ships seizing the Abu Dhabi pearling fleet. There is also a report on the reconnaissance trip, dated 27 July 1938 (folios 18-20).

Also included is correspondence from mid-late 1942 reports on a perceived increase in slave trading activity across the Gulf, from Iranian Baluchistan to Saudi Arabia (folios 184-213). Charles Dalyrmple-Belgrave, Adviser to the Bahrain Government, reports in July 1942 that his intelligence suggests that Qatar is a key landing point for slaves (folios 200-201).