'File 53/7 VI (D 9) Koweit [Kuwait] affairs - Arab Tribes, 1907-1911' [8r] (19/676)
The record is made up of 1 file (335 folios). It was created in 3 Jan 1907-16 Mar 1911. It was written in English, French 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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if he wishes it (1) I will put the R. I. M. S. Comet " at his disposal,
and (2) he may make use of Mr. Gaskin, who will shortly reach Basra on his
way to join his new appointment at Bagdad.
I have, etc.,
J. RAMSAY, Major,
Received on 20th August 1906, with letter from the Secretary Political Department, India
Office, No. Si, dated 3rd August 1906)
Enclosures in Foreign Office covering letter of 12th July 1906.
Euphrates and Steam Navigation Company to the Foreign Office.
3, Salter's Hall Court, Cannon Street, E.C,,
10th July 1906,
Sir,
I have the honour to communicate to you the following message just
received from our agent in Basra under date of the 9th instant-
u Renewed disturbances Amarah, wire destroyed. Grave fears entertained
safety. Mejidieh, Cannot obtain any further information. Local Turkish
Government helpless. "We urge you to continue pressure avoid suspension
service."
The S. S. Mejidieh is one of the steamers of this Company's river flotilla
carrying His Britannic Majesty's mails, passengers, and cargo from Bagdad to
Basra, and we believe should have been due in Basra on the 7th instant.
She carries three officers and three engineers all British subjects, and a native
crew. Amarah is a la*rge town on
Basra.
the Tigris some 36 hours run from
A previous message received this morning from Bagdad agents informed
us that the S 0 S. Barhanieh a steamer of the Turkish Senieh Administration
was fired upon by an Arab tribe on the 6th instant.
In my letters of the 31st May and 6th June I informed you of previous
attacks on our steamers. Our Agent in Bagdad advises us that he wrote on the
8th June to Major Ramsay as follows :—
" If the local authorities are not capable of keeping the peace without
coming to terms with the belligerent Arabs, as His Excellency the Vali's
instructions to Amarah indicate, we have no guarantee that similar attacks on
our steamers will not be arranged by Arabs having differences among themselves
or with the local officials, with the object of embarrassing the Turkish
Government.
"We have no hesitation in stating that these disturbances are mainly due
to the weakness of the local authorities, and unless the Central Government
strengthen the guard along the river banks, and take energetic measures to
punish the ringleaders of the recent attacks, we may expect to see other attacks
immediately any difficulties arise among the Arabs."
I am instructed to express the hope that you will send immediate instruc
tions to His Excellency the Ambassador at Constantinople and to His Britannic
Majesty Consuls at Basra and Baghdad to take urgent and effectual measures to
secure protection of our interests. In view of the obvious helplessness of the
32
V
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence between British officials regarding political affairs in Kuwait and its vicinity. The correspondence discusses developments in the conflict between Abdul Aziz ibn Abdulrahman ibn Faisal Al Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd (Ibn Saud)] and the ruler of the Emirate of Jabal Shammar, Mut-ab Ibn Abdul Aziz [Mit‘ab bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz]. The murder of Mut-ab by his uncle Sultan is reported in the file on folio 54 and a detailed account of the killing is contained on folio 103. The subsequent murder of Sultan is also reported in the file on folios 230-232.
Throughout the file, the correspondence discusses the rise in power of Ibn Saud (and the relative decline of the Rashidi tribal dynasty) and Ibn Saud's desire - often expressed through Shaikh Mubārak Āl Ṣabāḥ, the ruler of Kuwait - to form a closer relationship with the British Government.
On folios 145-191, the file contains a detailed report written by the British 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. in Kuwait, Stuart George Knox concerning a trip he made to the village of Anta'a in February 1908.
The file contains an English translation of a pamphlet produced by Suleiman Bassam, a prominent merchant in Mecca said to be a strong supporter of the Rashidis and an opponent of Ibn Saud. The pamphlet contains a history of the Rashidi tribal dynasty and information about the Emirate of Jabal Shammar.
The file also contains copies of correspondence sent between the Ottoman Governor (Vali) of Basrah and Shaikh Mubārak as well as a report written by William Henry Irvine Shakespear, Knox's successor as 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. in Kuwait, after he had met Ibn Saud in Kuwait in February 1910.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (335 folios)
- Arrangement
The file is arranged in chronological order, from earliest at beginning of the file to most recent at end.
An index of the topics discussed in the file is contained on folio 2. The numbers listed in this index relate to the foliation sequence that uses a mechanical stamp (and starts on folio 3).
- Physical characteristics
Condition: Previously a bound correspondence volume, the file's sheets have been unbound and are now loose.
Foliation: The volume has been foliated from the first page of text in the volume until to the inside back cover using circled pencil numbers in the top right-corner of each recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. . There is an earlier, possibly original, foliation sequence that runs through the volume, which uses a mechanical stamp. There is also an original pagination system which runs through the volume, using blue or red pencil numbers in the top-right corner of recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. pages, and the top-left corner of verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. pages.
- Written in
- English, French and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/479
- Title
- 'File 53/7 VI (D 9) Koweit [Kuwait] affairs - Arab Tribes, 1907-1911'
- Pages
- 8r:8v
- Author
- Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company
- Usage terms
- The copyright status is unknown. Please contact [email protected] with any information you have regarding this item.