Page 241 - PERSIAN 9 1931_1940

i
REVIEW.

Arab Sine,
Uoyal Navy. The Sloops of the Persian Gulf Division continued tl.oir
excellent potro work on thei Arab Coast They wore frequently called upon to
assist the Political Resident and Political Officers under him in making their
tours. b
Aviation. The Flying Boats of the Royal Air Force did much useful work
in connection with the establishment of the Air Route. Some flights of land
machines were also made. By the courtesy of the Roval Air Force Political
Officers were enabled to make tours from time to time in Royal Air .Force
machines which proved a considerable convenience.
An Air Agreement was negotiated with the Rulers of Bahrain, Kuwait
and Muscat and air facilities were obtained at Dibai.
Imperial Aairways continued their weekly service—East and West—
throughout the year. Kuwait remains as a port of call provided conditions
permit.
For various reasons the Arabian Air Route is still closed to private
aviators.
Oil Interests.—The Kuwait Oil Company formed at the end of 1934, by the
amalgamation of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company Limited, and the Gulf' Oil
Company of America opened ncgotia4ions with the Shaikh of Kuwait for a
concession which was finally signed in Kuwait on the 23rd December 1934.
The Bahrain Petroleum Company Limited continued to exploit their con-
cession actively. During the year several new wells were sunk and at its con-
elusion the total personnel of the Company was as follows :—
Americans .. 24
British 15
British Indians 43
Bahrainis ... 348
Others 149
■The construction of the tanks on Sitra Island and the laying of a sub­
marine pipe-line from there to the deep sea moorings which are three miles
from the shore, were completed during the year. In June the first shipment of
approximately 3,300 tons of crude oil was made to Japan.
Various points in connection with the Company’s Mining Lease from the
Shaikh which had been the subject of negotiations between His Majesty’s
Government on behalf of the Shaikh and the Company were concluded by the
end of the year, and on the 29th December the Mining Lease was signed.
The Anglo-Persian Oil Company Limited continued their negotiations with
the Shaikh of Qatar for a concession in his territory and the Political Resident
paid various visits to that place to interview the Shaikh. By the end of the
year there were some prospects of success.
Kuwait.—Nothing further of a definite nature towards the solution of the
difficult problem of the Shaikh of Kuwait’s date gardens in Iraq was accom­
plished during the year.
Pearling, the staple industry of Kuwait was a failure in 1934, due partly
to an indifferent catch and partly owing to a bad market.
Strenuous efforts were made by His Majesty’s Government, without suc­
cess, to assist Kuwait and Iraq to come to some agreement on the question of
Kuwait-Iraq Smuggling in the direction of combined co-operation between
the two States. Under arrangements made by His Excellency The Ambassador
at Baghdad and by the Political Resident Iraqi delegates visited Kuwait in
September for informal discussions with the Shaikh, but nothing concrete
resulted. Further incidents occurred of Iraqi Customs officials in an illegal
and high-handed manner invading the territory and territorial waters of
Kuwait, and of their shooting and assaulting Kuwaiti subjects. In spite of
representations made by His Majesty’s Government on behalf of the Shaikh to
the Traqi Government, no reparations havo been forthcoming from the latter,
their reply being that either such incidents did not take place ns reported or