Page 140 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

PART II

THE BRITISH ADMINISTRATION

INTRODUCTION

The Introduction to Part I traced briefly the historical and
political events that led to the opening of Indian Postal Agencies in the
Gulf Stales and, perhaps, also led the way to an explanation of the
somewhat surprising involvement of the British G.P.O. in the postal
affairs of Eastern Arabia.
The impending transfer of power in India was the reason for the
Foreign Office taking over, in April 1947, the responsibilities hitherto
exercised in the Gulf by the Government of India.
For their part, the States also had obligations not to allow the
establishment of Post Offices by other than the Indian Government;
and when the Foreign Office assumed political responsibility in the
Gulf it was obviously desirable that the postal services should be
preserved until the various States were able to establish their own
independent services.
From August 1947, as a temporary measure, the Post Offices con­
tinued to be administered from Karachi under Pakistani control; but,
from April 1st, 1948, the British G.P.O. took over their administration
(except that of Guadur). The office of the Superintendent of the
British Postal Agencies (Mr. H. C. Breach) was established in Bahrain
and all requisitions for supplies of stamps, cancellers and other Post
Office equipment were placed on London by this office. Main stocks of
stamps were also held in Bahrain for issue to the various Agency Post
Offices.

There was ample precedent in the Morocco Agencies for the use
of overprinted stamps of Great Britain and this precedent was initially
followed in all the Gulf Agencies. All the States, except Muscat, were
subsequently provided with distinctive individual issues whilst still
British Postal Agencies; although those issued in Kuwait in 1958 were
valid only for local use until postal independence the following year.

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