'File 53/11 XII (D 124) Shaikh of Kuwait's Date Gardens in Iraq'

Content

This file contains correspondence between British officials regarding date gardens in southern Iraq owned by the ruler of Kuwait. The correspondence discusses changes in legislation proposed by the Government of Iraq regarding the collection of land rent and land produce duties, and the impact of these changes to the ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ.

In particular, the correspondence concerns the Government of Iraq's decision to end the immunity from taxation (on the gardens) that had been granted to the former ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Mubārak Āl Ṣabāḥ and the Shaikh of Mohammerah, Khaz‘al bin Jābir al-Ka‘bī by the British Government in return for their military support against the Ottoman Empire in World War 1.

The correspondence discusses in detail a number of cases in the Iraqi courts regarding the gardens (then owned by Shaikh Aḥmad) and the attempts made by British officials in Iraq and Kuwait to mediate between the two sides. In the correspondence, British officials discuss whether or not the British Government should compensate Shaikh Aḥmad for the amount of tax he had been forced to pay on his exports from Iraq since his dispute with the Government of Iraq had begun and how the disagreement can be settled permanently. The file includes correspondence between British officials and their Iraqi counterparts as well as with Shaikh Aḥmad.

The file includes extracts from the Iraq Government Gazette No. 23 of June 1932 that contains details of the Land Settlement Law No. 50 of 1932 (ff 51-61). The file also contains the minutes from a government inter-departmental meeting (with representatives from the Foreign Office, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. and the Treasury) that was convened in May 1936 to discuss the issue (ff 85-96).

Extent and format

1 volume (211 folios)

Arrangement

File is arranged in chronological order, from earliest at beginning of the file to most recent at end.

Physical characteristics

Condition: Formerly a bound correspondence volume, the majority of the file's pages have been unbound and are now loose.

Foliation: The file's foliation sequence commences at the front cover and terminates at the back cover; these numbers are written in pencil and can be found in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

The file contains the following foliation errors: 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F; 61 and 61A.

Written in

English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/1/494

Former external reference(s)

A Series: 53/11 XII Confidential Series: D 124

History of this record

Date(s)

30 May 1936-31 Jul 1936 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Land ownership

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'File 53/11 XII (D 124) Shaikh of Kuwait's Date Gardens in Iraq', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/494, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x0001d3> [accessed 28 August 2024]

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