IOR/L/PS/12/3938

The file contains papers relating to special measures, mainly consisting of the recruitment of extra staff, taken by British authorities in the Persian Gulf in the event of war and during the Second World War. These special measures included the appointment of a Political Officer for the Trucial Coast and an increase in the staff of the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, the expenditure involved being divisible between the Indian and Imperial Revenues.

The file also includes correspondence dated from after the end of the Second World War, regarding: the request of the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf that the post of Political Officer, Trucial Coast, be raised to that of Political Agent, Trucial Coast; and the retention of the services of officers and staff currently in post.

Papers in the folder labelled ‘Censorship Arrangements’ relate to: emergency legislation in the event of war giving the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and the Political Agents at Bahrain and Muscat powers of censorship of post and telegrams, in the territories of the Shaikh of Bahrain and the Sultan of Muscat and Oman; and the employment of one additional clerk each at Kuwait, Bahrain, and Muscat, for censorship work in the event of war.

The papers mostly consist of correspondence, but the file also includes India Office External Department minute papers, India Office internal notes, and the following pamphlets: ‘Statements Comparing the Expenditure incurred by the Government of India on Diplomatic and Consular Services in Iran in the year 1939-40 with that in the previous year’; and ‘Statement of expenditure incurred on the Koweit Agency during the year 1939-40’.

The correspondents are as follows: the India Office; the Government of India External Affairs Department; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Foreign Office; and the Treasury.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.