Page 156 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

144 Records of Bahrain

Urgont.

Confidential. Political Agoncy,
Bahrain,
No.C/R-2. 3rd January, 1950.

V'
V
Dear Blr Ruport,
When talking to Lermitte to-dav'about the
advance which his company proposes t/ give to the
3haikh of Qatar (my letter No.C/R-608 of 29th De­
cember, 1949, rofers), he said that ho gathered
that if P.D.Q. did not make the advance, Superior
Oil were ready to do so. I hope you will agree
with me that this is undesirable for, two reasons,
viz.| (1) we do not want two oil companies competing
for the Shaikh's favours outside our control, and
(2) wo must put our foot down really firmly in the
matter of oil companies in Qutar dealing direct with
the Shaikh over the vital quostion of money.
2. I would therefore request with all possiblo
emphasis that the Foreign Office bo asked to point
out to the Superior Oil Company und tho Central
Mining and Investment Syndicate that no advances
or payments in money or kind of any sort whatsoever
should be made to the Shaikh of Qatar without prior
consultation with us. Tho oil companies may not
like it, but I fear the situation, in. Qatar will get
entirely out of control if they are allowed to deal
direct with tho Shaikh and to' lot him have the monoy
over which wo have no control.
3. The oil companies act so rapidly in those
matters that I think a telogram on this subject to
tho Foreign Office is indicated, I spoke to Galloway
somewhat on these lines myself, but a moro definite
and authoritative approach to the oil companies is
now required.

1 Yours sincerely

His Excellency
Sir Rupert Hay, K.C.I.E.* C.S.I.,
Political Resident, Persian Gulf
Bahrain.

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