File E/8 I Ibn Sa‘ud [‎120r] (254/606)

52
CONFIDENTIAL.
^3 U ^
No - C " 17 ' dated Kuwait, the 29th April 1914
trri, r 'T 00 ™ w - o ' GMr ' la " po,i " < » i
^SrSa! 0 ft ' G,,Vetm '-" »' ^ ■» »"« ^ a.a Political
Enclosure.
■> No. C-16 (Confidential), dated Kuwait, the 29th April 1914
Fro m -Li EU TE N A OT -CoLO NEL W. G. G key , LA., 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. , Kuwait,
To—The Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire.
In continuation of my letter No. C-15, dated the 22nd instant, I have the
honour to report further on the subject of Bin Sa'ud and the Turkish Government
2 ' T3 ur ^| s h representatives did not come to Kuwait last week as had been
arranged. By the mail of the 22nd instant Shaikh Sir Mubarak received a letter
from Saiyid lalib stating that he had written to Constantinople for more precise
instructions in regard to the terms which he was to make with Bin Sa'ud, and that he
had heard m reply that the question was still under discussion but that instructions
would be furnished to him. The party has arrived this morning in Sii Mubarak's
steam launch " Mishrif " which has been for the last month or so Iving at
Mohammerah.
3. On the evening of the 26th instant Bin Sa'ud arrived atSubaihiyah with a
large following, and early on the morning of the 27th the Shaikh sent his Secretary
to inform me that he had written asking the Amir to come to Malah, which is
about half way between Kuwait and Subaihiyah, for the purpose of meeting me
there. During the day the R. I. M. S. " Lawrence " arrived with your endorse
ment forwarding for necessary action by me telegram No. 256-S. from the Govern
ment of India in the Foreign Department, ard I explained to Shaikh Sir Mubarak
in the afternoon that portion of its contents which concerned himself. Late in the
evening came a reply from Bin Sa'ud to the effect that he would be at Malah on the
following morning and hoped that I could come out then as he was anxious for a
meeting as soon as possible. I accordingly went out yesterday taking with me the
telegram above referred to.
4. After the usual polite enquiries I commenced the interview, at which nobody
else was present, with explaining to the Amir that portion of the telegram of the
Government of India which was intended for his information. I could see that he
was disappointed, and at first inclined to think that he had been allowed to foster
hopes which were not to be realised, but I had no difficulty in removing this view
by the explanation that it was the Turkish Government who had declined our
ofler of mediation and that His Majesty's Government obviously could not force
upon them assistance which they did not desire. I informed him as instructed that
there was now no objection to direct negotiations taking place between him and the
Turks, and that the views of His Majesty's Government had been conveyed to the
Porte.
5 In replv, the Amir said that he did not intend to make an independent
arrangement with the Turks unless he were forced to do so because they were never
faithful to their engagements and in a very short time, it might not oe more than
two months, things would be as bad as ever m Hassa, He asked me what were
the views of His Majesty's Government which had been conveyed to the Porte. I
replied that they concerned the provisional undertakings mto which he had entered
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