§ Sir R. GOWERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the limited supplies of oil fuel in the British Empire and the dependence of the Royal Navy upon oil fuel, he was consulted before an American company was permitted to acquire and operate an oil concession in the British territory of the Bahrein Islands?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLBahrein is not British territory. The Sheikh of Bahrein is an independent ruler in special treaty relationships with His Majesty's Government which preclude the grant of an oil concession save with their
974Wthe latest dates for which information is available are as follow:
approval. The Admiralty were consulted before the concession in question was acquired by the American company, and were satisfied that the conditions attached to its acquisition were the best that could be obtained.