The  Anglo-Persian  Oil  Company,  Ltd.,  which  is
closely  allied  to  the  Burmah  Oil  Company  (capital,
£5,000,000)  by  reason  of  its  large  interest  therein,  has
come  into  prominence  during  recent  years,  owing  mainly
to  its  agreement  with  the  British  Government,  in  which
the  latter  invested  over  £2,000,000  of  the  public  moneys
in  the  enterprise.  The  Company  acquired  its  petrolif-
erous concessions  from  several  interests,  including  the
Burmah  Oil  Company  and  the  late  Lord  Strathcona,
which  had  been  granted  to  them  by  the  Persian  Govern-
ment .  When  I  mention  that  the  Company's  concessions
cover  an  area  of,  approximately,  half  a  million  square
miles,  and  on  which  petroleum  has  been  found  in
quantity  on  the  majority  of  the  small  areas  already
examined,  the  significance  of  the  enterprise  will  be
somewhat  appreciated.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the
company's  success  is  doubly  assured,  and,  from  this
point  of  view,  the  investment  of  the  public  moneys  in
the  undertaking  has  been  sound  finance,  especially
when  one  considers  the  important  part  which  petroleum
products  under  British  control  must  hereafter  play.
