Arizona republican., 1919-03-30
BRITISH MAKING
 READY YFQRHUCE
 O|L ENTERPRISE
To Combine All Interests
 Under Government Poli-
 cy-Take in Dutch Con- cerns-A Huge Syndicate

LONDON. Thursday. March 13.-l Correspondence of the Associated Press)-Profiting by the costly ex- perience of the war when it was com pelled to send enormous sums into other countries in payment for petrol cum and petroleum products, the Brit lsh government has adopted a clearly defined oil policy and is already credit cd with financially backing what is ex- pected here to develop into the most powerful oil producing, refining and transporting enterprise in the history of the industry Stories concerning the governments policy have been in circulation on a number of occasions and recently were revived by reports that the Royal Dutch-Shell oil interests were about to take cotrol of the Mexican Eagle Oil company an important member of the Lord Cowdray group.
 The governments first important movement, 1t was stated by authorities hefe Will be the creation of a perma- nent ministry which will be charged with the task of acting as petroleum adviser for all departments 1t will have control over concessions for the development of possible oil territory within the empire and will advise and assist British companies or individuals m obtaining concessons and leases in foreign countries, as well as help them 10 conduct their oil business in coun- tries outside the empire. The import ance of the ministry will be better un- derstood when it is realized that large part of the undeveloped oil ter rltory Of the world lies under British dominion and according 10 British law tho capital of every oil company op- eratnS in British territory must not be less than so per cent British owned and all the control must be in the hands Of British citizens. The next move in the development of this policy. it is as- serted, is the combination under the protection of the government of the most important oil companies operat- ing in British and neutral countries. if they are wholly or partly British owned. These include such concerns as the Royal Dutch. the Shell and the Lord Cowdray interests
 It recently became known that the British government was buying the holdings of British citizens in the Row al Dutch, the ownership of which was then conceded ts be SO per cent Dutch and 40 per cent British Accompanving these statements were equally interest Ing stories concerning the Shell trans port and trading company's securities. whose ownership was closely allied TO that of the Royal Dutch.
 This Royal Dutch Shell group con trols immense production in many lands, including many properties in the Oklahoma - Kansas - Texas California and Wyoming fields and has a foreign department which takes note of all that is going on in the oil world.
 Companies Interlock
 Interlocking directorates give it a commanding place in such companies as the Burmah oil company and the Anglo-Persian Oil company. The Brit lsh government is the largest stock holder in the last named company. while the Anglo Saxon Petroleum company an important subsidiary of he Royal Dutch Shell interests. has a selling contract with the Anglo Persian company which brings all these inter asts close together It is generally ac- 'epted in London that the British gov ernment is not altogether satisfied with its 40 per cent interest in the Royal Dutch. and would like to have a more important financial place in the cor poration. This sentiment. it is said, K seconded by the most important Dutch stockholders who feel they - terests if backed by the financial and military power of the imperial govern ment.
 The Pearson oil interests. that is. the Lord Cowdray companies. are perhaps Inc most powerful of all the British companies.
 The Cowdray interests include i'm portant holdings in Mexico, where they have, developed a large producing field and brought it to a high state of ef- liciency, including possession of the necessary refineries and ships for the manufacture and transportation of their products. They have always employed American geologists and drillers in heir operations, and have taken ad vantage of the experience gained by Americans from the early days of ol discoveries in Pennsylvania Even now the operations in England are largely carried on by Americans.
 Of the undeveloped territory tC which the British government is said 70 be looking none is more important han that known as the Persian field Here the Anglo Persian Oil company has concession of 500. 900 square nlles 'u which a number of wells have beer drilled and which already has an an Aual profit production of ten thousand barrels. Biologists believe that this ield extends into Mesopotamia, where fritish influence is already so firml1 established as Co make development 2ere only a matter of detail. Othel
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