The file comprises correspondence relating to the presence in Bahrain during the War of an Italian Roman Catholic priest, Irzio Luigi Magliacani. The file’s principal correspondents are: the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior; Lieutenant-Colonel Arnold Crawshaw Galloway); and the Political Agent at Bahrain (Hugh Weightman; Major Reginald George Evelin William Alban; Major Tom Hickinbotham; Cornelius James Pelly).The file includes:correspondence dated 1940, including: the Political Agent in Bahrain’s assent, in June 1940, to Magliacani remaining in Bahrain (f 3); arrangements to deport Magliacani during October and November 1940, in response to the Italian bombing raid on Bahrain on 19 October 1940. The deportation order (f 11, f 14) was made because the Political Agent in Bahrain could not guarantee Magliacani’s personal safety, rather than Magliacani himself representing a threat to Bahrain (ff 3-23);correspondence dated 1944, relating to an application from the Archbishop of Agra, India, for Magliacani to return to Bahrain, in the wake of Italy’s surrender, and Magliacani having been released from the Central Internment Camp in India (f 24). This portion of the file includes copies of correspondence in Italian (ff 35-40, with English translations at ff 43-48), dated between 11 May 1931 and 22 April 1939, addressed to Magliacani, from various correspondents, including Camillo Guiriati, Italian Consular General in Calcutta [Kolkata], Leo Pollini, Director of the Istituto Fascista di Cultura in Milan, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rome. The correspondence was, according to a note in the file (f 34) found in Magliacani’s boxes during a search conducted on 25 July [1944]. Letters from the Security Office at Bahrain and the Bahrain Government state they have no objection to Magliacani’s return (f 29, f 31). A letter from the Political Resident to the Political Agent at Bahrain, dated 27 July 1944, states that it is too early for Axis subjects to return to the Arab sheikhdoms, and that permission for Magliacani’s return must be refused (f 41);correspondence from 1947 and 1948 relating to a further application for Magliacani’s return to Bahrain, with no objections offered by the Bahrain Government (ff 49-60).1 file (64 folios)The file’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest item at the front to the latest at the end. The file notes at the end of the file (ff 61-65) mirror the chronological arrangement.Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 66; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 3-57; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. Pagination: the file notes at the back (ff 61-65) have been paginated using pencil.
https://libraries.aub.edu.lb/xtf/data/postcards/ark86073b36k51/thumb.jpg1 photomechanical print (postcard) : black and white ; 9 x 14 cm.Title from item.Captioned in Italian.
This file primarily concerns the sovereignty status of the Hanish Islands, as well as that of other islands in the Lower Red Sea. It documents concerns held by the British Government that the Italian Government is in the process of attempting to establish some kind of informal control over certain islands.Matters discussed in the correspondence include:The content and wording of a proposed Red Sea Lights Convention, the result of negotiations between the British and French governments, which ostensibly relates to the construction and maintenance of lighthouses – both on islands in the Lower Red Sea and in the territory of Mocha – but also concerns questions of sovereignty.Whether the Italian Government's plan to construct a lighthouse on South-West Haycock Island constitutes a claim of sovereignty over the island.The establishment of Italian military posts on the Hanish and Jebel Zukur [Jazīrat Jabal Zuqar] islands.Concerns expressed by the Admiralty and Foreign Office that by establishing these posts the Italian Government could be attempting to enforce rights of sovereignty over the islands.The extent to which either the Treaty of Lausanne (1923) or the Rome Conversations of 1927 (between Britain and Italy) provide any basis to contesting an Italian claim to sovereignty over the islands.Reports of attempts by the Italian military posts to restrict fishing and pearling in neighbouring waters to dhows possessing a permit from Assab.The file features the following principal correspondents: His Majesty's Ambassador in Rome (Sir Ronald Graham, succeeded by James Eric Drummond); the Command-in-Chief, Mediterranean; the Senior Officer of the Red Sea Sloops; the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; officials of the Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, the India Office, the Admiralty, the Air Council, and the Board of Trade's Mercantile Marine Department.As well as correspondence the file includes the following: extracts from reports of the proceedings of HMS
Dahlia(1929 and 1931), HMS
Penzance(1933), and HMS
Calcutta(1934); copies of the minutes of an interdepartmental conference, held at the Foreign Office on 6 July 1931 to consider questions relating to the Red Sea islands; draft English and French texts of modifications to the aforementioned Red Sea Lights Convention, prepared by Sir Cecil Hurst, legal adviser to the Foreign Office; two sketch maps depicting the Lower Red Sea islands and surrounding area.In addition to the aforementioned French text, the file contains some material in Italian, namely a copy of a fishing permit issued at Assab (an English translation is included).The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence (folio 2).1 file (208 folios)The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 209; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Papers regarding the purchase by the Afghan Government of arms and ammunition from Italy.The file contains correspondence with the Afghan Legations in Rome and London, and the Afghan Foreign Ministry, plus correspondence between the India Office Political Department, the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department, HM Ministers in Kabul and Rome, and the Government of India's Customs Department.Correspondence dated 1931-1933 concerns the order of artillery equipment from Italy, and arrangements for the materials to be shipped through Karachi [Karāchi] and Peshawar [Peshāwar] to Kabul [Kābul]. Lists of equipment (in Italian) can be found at folios 108-121. There is also correspondence with the firm Gillanders Arbuthnot & Co, regarding permission to broker arms sales with the Afghan Government.Correspondence dated 1939 concerns the purchase by the Afghan Government of tanks from Italy, arrangements for their transportation and customs clearance, plus copy intelligence reports on Italian arms movements in Afghanistan.The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folio 2).1 file (121 folios)The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 122; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located at the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.