IOR/R/15/2/1335

This file contains correspondence between the British Political Agent at Bahrain and the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf at Bushire, and later at Bahrain, the Political Agent at Sharjah and Charles Belgrave, Adviser to the Bahrain Government.

These correspondence concern requests for No Objection Certificates, licenses and permits to import, export and possess arms, ammunition, explosives and knives in Bahrain and the Persian Gulf. Many of these requests are from European and American representatives and employees of companies operating in the region, including: Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO); Grey, Mackenzie and Company Limited; Petroleum Development (Qatar) Limited; British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC); and International Bechtel. Requests for licenses are also received from local merchants based in Bahrain, including: Yousuf Abdulrahman Fakhroo [Yūsuf ‘Abd al-Raḥmān Fakhrū]; A M Yateem Brothers; Kashmir Art Emporium; Trikamdas and Sons; C Kumar Brothers; Jashanmal and Sons; Mohamed A. Alajali and Sons; and Abdulrehman Algosaibi [‘Abd al-Raḥmān al-Quṣaybī].

In addition, requests for permits are received from, and on behalf of, local rulers and their families, including: members of the Āl Khalīfah family in Bahrain; Shaikh Sulṭān bin Saqr Āl Qāsimī of Sharjah; Shaikh Shakhbūṭ bin Sulṭān Āl Nahyān of Abu Dhabi; Shaikh Sa‘īd bin Maktūm of Dubai; Shaikh Aḥmad bin Rāshid Āl Mu‘allā of Umm al-Qaywayn; Shaikh Sulṭān bin Sālim Āl Qāsimī of Ras al-Khaymah; Shaikh Rāshid bin Ḥumayd Āl Nu‘aymī of Ajman; and Shaikh ‘Abdullāh bin Jāsim Āl Thānī of Qatar. Also included within these correspondence are two product leaflets from Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) Guns Limited, entitled BSA Ralock Self-loading Rifle and The New BSA Air Rifles.