Page 603 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

(i)

REVIEW.

ARAB SIDE.
General.—On the outbreak of war messages of loyalty were received from
all the Shaikhs of the Arab Littoral.
The Shaikh of Bahrain gave £10,000 as a gift to His Majesty’s Government,
for prosecuting the war.
Royal Navy.—H. M. S. Challenger surveyed local waters in Bahrain during
February!March and prepared charts of the channel between Bahrain and Rax
Tanurah.
Towards the end of the year Sloops of the Royal Indian Navy arrived in
the Gulf to relieve Sloops of the Royal Navy which had been detailed for duty
elsewhere.
Until the outbreak of the war in September, Sloops of the Persian Gulf
Division paid frequent visits to the various Sheikhdoms of the Arab Littoral.
Aviatioti.—Imperial Airways, later the British' Overseas Airwavs Corpora­
tion, maintained five services a week in both directions until the outbreak of the
war, when services were to a certain extent curtailed.
The Royal Air Force made several routine flights.
Oil Interests.—Negotiations for an oil concession for Gwadur were continued
with the Burmah Oil Company but in August the Company withdrew as Indian
Oil Concessions limited had obtained a concession in the neighbouring State of
Kalat. So far no arrangements have been reached by the Sultan with Indian
Oil Concessions Limited.
In Muscat geologists of Petroleum Concessions Limited continued their
work till February when, after paying a short visit to Dhofar, they completed
their winter programme and left Muscat. No work was done during the winter
of 1939|40 and the impression given by the Company was that they were not
sufficiently interested to undertake a long and tedious survey.
On the Trucial Coast protracted negotiations with the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi
were brought to a successful conclusion by Petroleum Concessions Limited. In
the early part of the year the Company were engaged on aerial reconnaissance
and photography over the Trucial Coast hiterland. The outbreak of war pre­
vented work .being continued during the winter of 1939140.
In Qatar drilling operations were continued at No. 1 well and a depth of
5.685 feet was reached during the year. There was a promising show of oil and
later tests were highly satisfactory.
In Bahrain the Bahrain Petroleum Company Limited improved their
refinery operating facilities and twelve tanks were added.
Negotiations for the unallotted area continued between the Shaikh of Bahrain
and the Bahrain Petroleum Company Limited and Petroleum Concessions Limited.
After a careful^ consideration of the offers made by both Companies, the Ruler
announced his intention of granting the concession for the whole area to the
Bahrain Petroleum^ Company, subject to the approval of His Majesty’s Gov­
ernment. Negotiations were still in progress at the end of the year.
The total production of oil for the year was 7,588,544 barrels as compared
with 8,297,988 barrels produced in 1938.
Royalty paid to the Bahrain Government was Rs. 15,49,278-12-8 for the
first half of the year and Rs. 16,25,554-1-4 for the second half.
At the end of the year the Company’s employees numbered :—
1938. 1939.
Americans 90 67
European British subjects 224 192
Indian British subjects 422 374
Dnhraiui8 1,596 1,878
Others 286 399
LOeiEAD