Author
the purchase or exchange of Masirah Island for Kuria Muria or the lease of whole or part of the island. The main concern raised by British Officials was on how to approach the Sultan of Muscat and Oman on the issue. They argued that the Sultan will be unlikely to agree to sell or exchange Masirah Island
Publication Date
17 Feb 1944-12 Aug 1948 (CE, Gregorian)
Subject
1
Type
Document
Language
English
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Pages Count
167
Library
Qatar Digital Library
Library Asset ID
IOR/R/15/6/110
Record ID
vdc_100000000831.0x000316
Library Location
British Library:
India Office
The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors.
Records and
Private Papers
Documents collected in a private capacity.
Date
17 Feb 1944-12 Aug 1948 (CE, Gregorian)
Notes
The file contains correspondence in the form of letters, telegrams and reports related to the negotiation of either the acquisition or lease of a base at Masirah Island. The British Government acquired a base either by the purchase or exchange of Masirah Island for Kuria Muria or the lease of whole or part of the island. The main concern raised by British Officials was on how to approach the Sultan of Muscat and Oman on the issue. They argued that the Sultan will be unlikely to agree to sell or exchange Masirah Island, for the fact that one day the island might prove to contain mineral and/or oil deposits of commercial value.
The file contains correspondence related to the availability of drinking water for the Royal Air Force and native labourers on the island, and the future of the administration of the island after an agreement takes place.
The file also contains correspondence, folios (144-160) related to the incident of a group of Royal Air Force men shooting eleven civilian-owned goats at Masirah Island. The Sultan raised the issue with the
Political Agent
A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
at Muscat and he suggested that the Royal Air Force men should be kept within their airbase boundaries in order to prevent such incidents.
The main correspondents in the file are: the Government of India, Foreign and Political Department;
India Office
The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors.
, London; the Political
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
, Muscat; the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
Residency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
, Bahrain; and the Government of Muscat and Oman.
A large part of the file, folios 2-117, is dated 1944.
