Coll 30/9(2) 'Admin. Reports of the Persian Gulf - 1945 -' [‎54r] (107/1148)

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(e) Shaikh Abdullah al Alunad, who has iacroasea if possible
in adiposity, wheeziness,and geniality, regained in charge of the
Arsenal - a suitable post as it does not require a high decree of
mobility.
(f j ShaiKh iubah as -^lim remained Chief of olice.
(g) :lheikh Mubarak al Hamad al Mubarak remained in charge of
the Customs.
(h) Shaikh Mohammad al Ahmed continued to live in Basrah and
to manage His HinAness* property in ’Iraq, but the even tenor of w
his existence was broken by an affray with the ’Iraq Customs police
in which he suffered a bullet through the neck (which should have
killed him) and the loss of his right thumb.
(1) Shaikh Fahad as aalim’s not inconsiderable talents remain
ostensibly unemployed but it in difficult to estimate the extent
to which he participated in the administration of the departments
officially entrusted to his brother Abdulla.
(j) Shaikh Salim al Hamud, an uncle of His Highness and the
senior living member of the Subah family, succumbed to tuberculosis
in a sanatorium at Beyrouth. Until the lost moment it was doubt
ful whether tuberculosis or diabetes would have the honour of carry
ing him off. He leaves t^o sons: a boy of 13 who is accounted
demented by reason of his ordinate predilection for the bottle and
the opposite sex, and an infant who has been adopted by Bhaikh
Abdullah Mubarak.
III. THE POLITIC lb AGrffHT ’ S KHIATIOHS 'VI Til TiDi SHAIKH .
The Political Agent’s relations with the Shaikh remained
cordial, although in warmth they varied im srseljr with the amount
ol^ friction generated by er.orts to curtail the smuggling propen
sities of Kuwaitis in the interests of war-time trade control.
His Highness renewed the Civil Air Agreement for a further period
of 6 years and was co-operation itself in his dealings with the
R.A.F. Karly in the year he offered them the use of the uarant-
ine buildings at Shuwaikh rent free, as a rest-house; an offer
which was gratefully accepted although itpay cone lovably have been
not unconnected with e desire on the part of the 3haikh to evade
fhe obligation to maintain a quarantine station.
IV. LOCAL IHTKRA3T5 .
(a) General
In the absence of a published budget the administration of the
Btate reEiains something of a mystery. It is however clear that
the Consultative Assembly born with so many pangs in 1933 has
passed away, for it held no meetings during the year. ’’Progress
ive*’ elements appear to have been too pre-occupied with their own
progress in profiteering to have had time for politics.
Shaikh Ahmed has retained control of the x?olitioal destinies of
the State and of the not inconsiderable income from the family
properties in ’Iraq, anu continues to supervise if not to control
the activities of the energetic municipality. Other State incoxae,
including apparently the oil royalties, (which amounted to approx-
I imately £.5,000 during the year and will probably amount to over
£.340,000 during 1946) was collected by the Kevenue jepartmeat
under the control of Sheikh Abdullah Salim.
The Revenue Jepartmeat paid the following approximate monthly
salaries:-
Hia liiglniess Hs. 4,000.
Shaikh Abdulla Salim Hs. 4,000.
Shaikh Abdulla trubarak Hs. 1,500.
Shaikh Fahad as Salim Hs. 1,500.
Shaikh Abdulla al Jabir Rs. 1,100.