'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1915-1919' [‎146v] (299/396)

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58 ANNUAL REPORT OP THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL RESIDENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
Two tribes, the Awazim and the Bashidah, together with a portioarft the
Muteir form the bulk of the population
Trlbe8 ' outside that of Kuwait town. Small
bands of other tribes such as Dhafir, Beni Khalid, etc. (who are merely
visitors), enter Kuwait territory at certain seasons.
The principal villages in the district y^ith their approximate populations
are Jahara, 500 ; Eantas, 400 • Abu
VlUa g eB - Halaifah, 200 ; Fahaihil, 200 ; Shi'aibab
60. '
Tor a considerable time evidence had been accumulating which showed
that Kuwait was being used as a base for
Blockad0 - supplying goods to the Turks and to the
tribes ran"id on the Turkish side and, at the end of 1917, it was decided that the
establish nent of a blockade ai>Kuwait was essential On January 4th, 1918,
Shaikh Salim, the Ruler of Kuwait, agreed to our establishing a blockade for
the control of experts to the interior, but a few days later withdrew his consent
on the grounds that his honour and dignity would be affected and even a visit,
on February 9th, from the Deputy Political [Eesident, Bushire, bearing a
message from the Civil Commissioner failed to change the attitude of uncom
promising opposition to the blockade which he had assumed.
On February 10th, the S S. Zayani " was ordered by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. ,
Colonel R. E. A. Hamilton, not to unload her cargo which was subsequently
over -carried to Basrah An immediate improvement in the situation took place,
and on February 16th Shaikh Salim accepted the blockade proposals without
reservation.
On February 22nd a British Blockade Officer, Lieutenant D. V McCollum,
and four British other ranks landed at Kuwait to control the blockade arrange
ments.
Though this officer nominally received every assistance, cOBsiderable
obstacles were placed in his way, and there was reason to believe that goods
continued to leave Kuwait which was full of foodstuffs and piecegoods, but as
the posts were manned by the Shaikh's retainers no proof was forthcoming
though it was evident that while the personnel were Kuwaitis leakage was
bound to continue.
At the beginning of April several large caravans, aggregating 4,900
camels, purporting to be from Qasim and other eastern parts of Bin Sa'ud's
territory, but in reality composed largely of enemy elements or traders with the
enemy, and considerable numbers of Bedouin with some 3 000 camels had
congregated at Kuwait, and asked for blockade permits to export very abnormal
quantities of supplies of all sorts. After reference to Baghdad it was decided
to refuse these requests with the exception of a few which were properly
vouched for. On April 10th, H. M. Ships " Lawrence" (Commander
L. H. Crozier) and " Bramble" arrived at Kuwait and the next morning
the headmen of the caravans and tribes were summoned to the Shaikh's
palace to receive the answer regarding the permits. The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
and the Blockade Officer interviewed the Shaikh, informing him of the
very abnormal quantities and kinds of goods exported in the preceding
15 months and of the still more abnormal quantities asked for by the caravans
and tribes then in Kuwait. After some demur the Shaikh agreed to turn them
away empty, but when the headmen were called in his resolution failed and
the orders had eventually to be issued by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , A letter was
sent to Bin Sa'ud explaining the matter and asking him to come to some
arrangement for the future regulation of traffic with Mr. Philby (an officer o
the Indian Civil Service deputed to Bin Sa'ud from the staff of the Civil
Commissioner) and each caravan leader was given a letter to the Amir
(Governor) of his district explaining why he was bringing no goods. Dunng
the succeeding three days the tribes and caravans left, always passing in
of the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. so that it could be seen that no goods were taken out. As a
precaution in view of the large numbers involved, a machine gun was placed on
the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. roof and subsequently a second was mounted. On the last days
news was received that the one remaining caravan was smuggling out arms an
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