"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٠‎٢‎٣] (١٧٨٢/١١٧٨)

1023
not to alienate any portion of his territory to foreigners without the
consent of the British Government; and it was hoped that, in this
manner, the necessity of taking- overt steps towards the establishment of
a British protectorate would be avoided. The consideration to be offered
the Shaikh was a single payment of £5,000 or less, or an annual subsidy
not exceeding £200.
Under these orders Colonel Meade, the Resident in the Persian Gulf,
proceeded in the R.I.M.S. " Lawrence " to Kuwait, where he arrived on
the 21 st of January 1899 ; the Turkish corvette " Zuhaf " was then in the
harbour, but she left on the following day. On the 23rd of January the
desired Agreement was signed by Shaikh Mubarak, who in it pledged
himself, his heirs and his successors not to receive the agent or representa
tive of any foreign power or government at Kuwait, or at any other
place within the limits of his territory, without the previous] sanction
of the British Government; and not to cede, sell, lease, mortgage or
give for occupation, or for any other purpose, any portion of his
territory to the government or subjects of any other power without the
previous consent of the British Government This last obligation
was to extend to any portion of the Shaikh's territory which
might at the time be in the possession of the subjects of any other gov
ernment. Hamud and Jabir, the brothers of Mubarak, were present at
the signature of the Agreement, but they refused to attest it as they dis
approved of its terms ; the Shaikh, however, assured Colonel Meade that
the concurrence of his brothers was not necessary to make the Agreement
binding on his successors.
A letter was then given to the Shaikh by Colonel Meade, in which,
on behalf [of the [.British Government, he assured the Shaikh, his heirs
and his successors of the good offices of the British Government, so long
as they on their part should continue to observe the obligations of the
Agreement. In this document the secret character of the Agreement was
emphasized, and payment was promised of a sum of Rs. 15,000 which
had been fixed as the consideration for its execution.*
It was subsequently explained by Colonel Meade that the condition
against the reception of foreign representatives was inserted by him
because Shaikh Mubarak stated that advances had been made to him by the
French, and that the reference to territory already in the possession of
foreign subjects was intended, primarily, to guard against the transfer of
house property owned by Turkish subjects at K uwait to Russians or others.
* The text of both Agreement and letter will be found in Annexure No. 1 to this
chapter.
Letter
supt
to the
Agreement,
23 rd January
1899.
Explanation
of
unauthorised
conditions.