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'File 53/7 B (D 5) Koweit [Kuwait] Affairs 1902' [‎282v] (584/709)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (253 folios). It was created in 1 Jan 1902-26 Dec 1902. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the 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. .

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Bin-Rasliid lias been in Kasim for the last month or two, but, according
to the latest news, he went over to the west of Nejd about a fortnight ago to
punish a tribe called the " Beni Abdullah on this expedition he has met
with little success, losing 30 or 40 of his men killed and 1G0 horses, and he
has now retired to Hail.
At the end of last December the Russian Consul from Bushire went over
to Koweit in the " Varyag ^ and saw Abdul Rahman-bin-Said. The Consul
offered him Russian assistance and protection, and said that, if Abdul Rahman
wrote to him asking for assistanoe to regain his country, the Russian Govern
ment would give it. Sheikh Mubarak apparently dissuaded him from doin^
this, and Abdul Rahman has now written 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. at Bushire
asking for British protection. He states that he does not want any assistance
in regaining his country, and is apparently quite confident in his ability to
effect this himself.
The reason that Rahman wishes the British Government to watch his
interests apparently is that he fears complications with the Turks. I may
add that there has been a rumour current for some time that the Turks have
offered bin-Rashid assistance in his operations, but I am given to understand
that no movements can take place during the summer months owing to the
scarcity of water.
During April last a Russian who styled himself a geologist stayed at
Koweit for about a week : but I could not discover that he made any diplomatic
overtures to either Abdul Rahman or Sheikh Mubarak.
J. G. A rmstrong,
Lieutenant and Commander
and Senior Naval Officer.
KOWEIT. [28th July.]
CONEiDENTIAL. S ection 1.
No. 1.
Poreign Office to 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. .
Foreign Office,
gi rj 28th July 1902.
I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit to you, to be
laid before the Secretary of State for India, a copy of a despatch from llis
Majesty's Consul at Basrah reporting that a raid had been made on the sheep
» Mr. Wratiaiaw, No. 25,27th May 1902. of the Sheikh of Koweit near Sefwan,
t Mr. de Bunsen, No. 336, 17th July 1902. together with a despatch from HlS
Majesty's 'Charge d'Affaires at Constantinople on the subject.f
The Sheikh has appealed to Mr. Wratislaw for his intervention with the
Turkish authorities, but, under the circumstances, Mr. de 13unsen proposes to
instruct that officer to inform the Sheikh that it will be impossible to protect
him from raids in the region of Sefwan.
Lord Lansdowne proposes, if Lord George Hamilton should concur, to
approve the suggestion of Mr. de Bunsen as to the instructions which slioul
be sent to Mr. Wratislaw on this subject.
I am, &c.,
P rancis B ertie.
Foreign Office Ptcm —No. 1059—17-9-02—44.

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Content

This file contains correspondence between various British officials regarding political affairs in Kuwait. The file includes copies of direct correspondence between Shaikh Mubārak Āl Ṣabāḥ, the ruler of Kuwait and British officials regarding Mubārak's desire for British protection and the nature of Kuwait's relationship with the Ottoman Empire.

The correspondence also discusses the rivalry and conflict between Shaikh Mubārak (and his tribal allies including the Al Saud) and the ruler of the Emirate of Jabal Shammar and head of the Rashidi tribal dynasty, Abdul Aziz Ibn Mitab [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin Mit‘ab]. The desire of Abdul Rahman Bin Feysal El Saood [‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] to be made a 'protege' of the British government is also discussed as is the possibility of establishing a post office in Kuwait (and recruiting a native agent Non-British agents affiliated with the British Government. to serve the British there).

The file contains a number of reports (in their original Arabic, with English translations attached) concerning political affairs in Kuwait that were written by Ali bin Ghulam Reza, a news agent in Kuwait employed by the British.

A section of correspondence in the file relates to the arrrest, by Ottoman authorities, of Shaikh Mubārak's agent in Bussorah [Basra], Abdul Aziz El Salim [‘Abd al-‘Azīz al-Sālim]. El Salim was accused of being a subscriber to Khilafat , an Arabic newspaper published in London said to be critical of the Ottomans. Transcripts of El Salim's interrogation are contained in the file in Arabic (folios 179-180) and English (folios 183-85).

A rough sketch chart of Kuweit [Kuwait] Fao [Al Faw] M'Gussa [Umm Qasr] and surrounding country is contained in the file on folio 82.

An intelligence report summarising recent events in Nejd written in May 1902 by Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , J G Armstrong is contained on folio 282.

Extent and format
1 volume (253 folios)
Arrangement

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

An incomplete index of topics discussed in the file is contained on folio 1a. The numbers used in this index relate to the file's incomplete foliation system written in red and blue crayon.

Physical characteristics

Condition: A bound correspondence volume.

Foliation: The file's foliation sequence commences at the front cover and terminates at the final folio; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled 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. A second foliation sequence is also present in the volume between ff. 2-342; these numbers are written in red and blue crayon and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.

The following foliation anomalies occur in the file: 1, 1A, 1B and 1C; 13, 13A and 13B; 23, 23A and 23B; 190 and 190A; 208 and 208A.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 53/7 B (D 5) Koweit [Kuwait] Affairs 1902' [‎282v] (584/709), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/475, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023527612.0x0000b9> [accessed 12 June 2026]

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