'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1915-1919' [‎148r] (302/396)

FOR THE TEAR 1918,
61
^he Government have decided to remove the blockade provided that your
Excellency takes measures of your own to prevent supplie 8 being
sent to enemies of the Government and hope that in taking these
measures you will not hesitate to consult 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 Lieutenant McCollum who will remain at Kuwait as his
Assistant, but in order to prevent ill-disposed persons from
endeavouring to smuggle goods, no goods will be allowed to leave
India for Kuwait in future by dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. or steamer without the
production of a permit signed 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. or his d^J
Q authorised representative. Government desires that full consu^ a_
tion should take place^between you and the Political Ag en t
regarding the quantities of goods required for your territory so
that the legitimate needs of your people will be safeguarded a n( l
permits will also be granted 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. for ^oods
which may be necessary for lawful trade with the subjects of
the friend of all Shuikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdur Rahman bin
ij Faisal as Sa'uc^
It gives me g^eat pleasure to be the bearer of this message on behalf of
Government and I trust that the friendship between us may in
crease This is what had to be said and may you be preserved."
In a long interview characterised by very plain speaking the various
points of the letter w^ere discussed and the situation was made perfectly clear
to Shaikh Salim, who vowed friendship and professed to consider Government's
word as his law. He issued a notice proclaiming his friendship and that any
one acting against Government in word or deed would have his property
taken and be banished from Kuwait.
He was rather frightened of personal responsibility and expressed fear of
our listening to tale bearers on which point he was reassured. On July 7th
Shaikh Salim replied in writing to the same effect and a meeting was held
between 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 and representatives of
the Shaikh headed by the latter's son, Abdullah, who was appointed to
superintend the whole blackade and in particular to deal with exports by land.
It was decided that a manifest system should be instituted to check the exports
by sea and that the existing system of checking exports by land should be
continued. Stress was laid on the point that far more good would be done by
Shaikh xAbdullah going round Kuwait and turning out any enemy elements
than by any amount of written passes.
Though arrangements for the issue of passes were made immediately
after the delivery of the above letter to the Shaikh (5th July), no
applications for passes were received before September 2nd. This was due
to opposition on the part of the Shaikh in the vain attempt of setting us to
withdraw the restrictions on imports which we had just instituted. Seeing,
however, that it was useless to hold out further he gave in and applications
came forward slowly at first but freely afterwards.
It is worthy of note that the opposition above referred to ceased a
few days after the deportation Yusuf-ed-Duwairi (August 29th) elsewhere
referred to in this report.
Blockade restrictions were formnlly withdrawn on 3rd November under
orders of General Head-quarters on conclusion of the armistice with Turkey, but
the shipping restrictions as regards exports from India to Kuwait w r ere still in
force at the close of the year.
Por a long time it had been recognised that the influence of a man named
. . Yusuf bin Muhammad al Minis (com-
Importation of YuBuf-al-Duwa.n. YuSuf -al -Duwairi) Was One
of the most anti-British forces in Kuwait and Shaikh Salim's succession placed
bim in full power. He had acted as Shaikh Salim's jackal during the long
years of his exile in the desert and received his reward in the great influence
he exerted over Shaikh Salim and the power this influence gave him in the
town where he was much disliked and even hated.