IOR/R/15/2/1104

Correspondence discusses visits of foreign warships to Bahrain. Topics discussed include:

• Visit in 1935 of French warship "Bougainville" with Admiral Rivet on board and protocol in terms of gun salutes, uniforms worn, and programme of exchange of calls and dinner arrangements. Includes hand-written note (folio 20A) in French from Rear-Admiral Rive, arrangements for delivery of fish and vegetables to the warship, and a report on the visit. Also notes from Charles Dalrymple Belgrave to Colonel Loch about three pictures (not in file) of the French man-of-war by local artists.
• Arrangements for a visit of a French sloop "d'Iberville" in 1937 calling at Bahrain, Kuwait, Muscat and Aden. The vessel carried a hydroplane and flew the flag of Rear-Admiral Fernet commanding la Division Navale du Levant. Correspondence includes the list of attendees for a party at the Agency the seating plan of the dinner party for Contre-Amiral Fernet (folio 96). Correspondence discusses how to avoid an unarranged visit to the Trucial Coast. Arrangements were made for Rear-Amiral Fernet to go round the Bahrain Petroleum Company oil field.
• Arrangements for a visit in 1939 of the French sloop "d'Iberville" with Rear-Admiral Carpentier, Commandant la Division Navale du Levant.

Correspondents include: Colonel G. Loch, Political Resident Persian Gulf; Political Agent, Bahrain; Assistant Political Agent, Bahrain; Shaikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah, Ruler of Bahrain; Senior Naval Officer Persian Gulf; Rear-Admiral Rivent, Commandant la Division Navale du Levant; Political Agent, Kuwait; Charles Dalrymple Belgrave, Adviser, Bahrain Government; C W Baxter, Foreign Office, London; M J Clauson, India Office, London; J S Black, Chief Local Representative, The Bahrain Petroleum Company; Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain.