"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٠‎٤‎٦] (١٧٨٢/١٢٠١)

1046
sabjeots by
the Persian
I mperial
Cnstoms
1904-05.
Status and
protection of
Kuwait sub
jects in
Persia,
1904-06.
Friendship
of Shaikh
Mubarak and
the Shaikh of
Muhamma-
reh.
Persian Customs steamer " Mozaffari," and a general disposition was
remarked about this time, on the part of the recently re-organised Persian
Customs, to interfere in a vexatious manner with Kuwait gubjects and
their boats upon the Persian side of the Gulf. The suspicion that
Kuwait boats were engaged in running arms to Persia may have been,
in some cases, not devoid of foundation; but gratuitous interference
with Kuwait vessels generally was now pushed to such a point that the
Government of India were constrained to draw the attention of the
Secretary of State and the British Minister at Tehran to the matter.
In March 1905 the general question of the status and protection of
Kuwaitis in Persia was discussed by the British Minister at Tehran with
the Persian Government in connection with the difficulties just described.
Sir A. Hardinge explained that Kuwait was de facto independent of
Turkey, which had not established or maintained an effective control over
the country ; and he endeavoured, under instructions from His Majesty's
Government, to secure for Kuwaitis in Persia the same position in respect
of the good offices of Great Britain as was conceded in the case of
Afghans, viz.) " that the friendly recommendations and wishes of the
British Government on their behalf should be accepted," It appeared,
however, that the Persian Government, while not averse in principle to
the intervention of British diplomatic and consular representatives on
behalf of Kuwaitis in Persia, were unwilling to concede the point in
practice lest by doing so they should give umbrage to Turkey, whose
representatives had already protested against the intervention of the
British Resident at Bushehr in Kuwaiti cases. Instructions were in the
end given by the Persian Government to the Director-General of
Customs at Bushehr not to treat Kuwaitis with such harshness as to
bring Kuwait cases into prominence, but at the same time he was
enjoined not to admit the intervention of the British Political Resident
on their behalf. Up to 1907 no real settlement had been reached.
A strong personal friendship of some length of standing existed
between Shaikh Mubarak of Kuwait and Shaikh Khaz'al, the Muhaisin
Shaikh of Muhammareh; but its basis, unless it consisted in a certain
similarity in their political position, was not apparent. Frequent visits
were paid by Shaikh Mubarak to Muhammareh and Failiyeh
Eelations with European powers other than Britain, 1904-07
After 1904 an overt interest in Kuwait affairs was not displayed
by any European power other than Great Britain. In September 190J,