August 24, 1916 India, Muslims, and Oil
Massacre of Lake Van
Admiral Sir Edmond Slade
It is therefore necessary to see that the geographical distribution of our oil resources is such that we retain as large an amount of control as possible. It is also of prime importance that no foreign interests whether for monopolistic trade of political reasons, shall have any power of hampering either the development of our own resources or shall control in any way the distribution of oil.
Source: CAB 37/1545/16 “Observations on the Board Sade of Trade Memorandum on Oil” E.J. Slade (p6)