IOR/R/15/5/91

The file contains letters, telegrams, and printed series of correspondence relating to pearl banks in the Persian Gulf. The correspondence is between the following:

• Political Residency in the Persian Gulf, Bushire
• Political Agency, Kuwait
• Political Agency, Bahrain
• Political Agency, Muscat
• Marine Department, Government of India
• Naval Commander-in-Chief, East Indies
• Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf
• Vice-Consulate, Lingah
• Political Department, Government of Bombay
• Foreign Department, Government of India
• The Ceylon Company of Pearl Fishers Limited
• the ruling shaikhs of Kuwait, Bahrain, Ajman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah, and Sharjah
• the Arab merchant, Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab Mishari
• Acting Consular Agent for France, Aden

Some of the correspondence is in the form of printed series that relate to a particular matter.

The file includes:

• correspondence between Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Zachariah Cox, Political Resident in Bushire, Francis Beville Prideaux, Political Agent in Bahrain, and Major Stuart George Knox, Political Agent in Kuwait connected to information being gathered for the Persian Gulf Pearl Fisheries appendix to John Gordon Lorimer's Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia and including maps of the pearl banks between Kuwait and Dubai (folios 11 and 18)
• correspondence between Lieutenant-Colonel Cox and Gulf rulers regarding the condition that they must not enter into any agreements over the pearl fisheries without first consulting the Resident
• correspondence between various offices and merchants regarding sovereignty and monopolies over pearl banks, the use of modern diving equipment, and divers' shares of profits