'File 53/32 IV (D 100) Kuwait Miscellaneous' [‎107v] (223/496)

playmates of his. He stated with some emotion that he had received the most
desperate appeals from these friends of his for assistance, which appeals it had
wrung his heart to refuse. He also informed me that, at the same period, he had
received confidential and urgent exhortations from the highest (Iraqi) quarters
in Iraq to assist the rebels to the best of his ability in order that Ibn Saud should
be definitely smashed. That they (the highest quarters) could do nothing, because
of the English, but that, if he, the sheikh, would take action, they would help
him secretly. And what, his Excellency asked me, had he gained by standing
firm against those appeals and exhortations? Ibn Baud's blockade, instead of
ceasing, had increased in severity, and was literally strangling Koweit to death.
Moreover, his Excellency pointed out, his own notables in Koweit were continually
attacking him on the subject of His Majesty's Government's attitude. " You
stand by the English Government," they sneered. <c What has the English
Government done for you in the matter of your date gardens, or in the matter of
Ibn Saud's blockade, which is now ruining us? "
4. I cannot say that, as His Majesty's Government's local representative, I
enjoyed our conversations on these subjects, or that I particularly like repeating-
them for His Majesty's Government's information, but I would fail in my duty
if I did not report what his Excellency's feelings are. As I have already
indicated, I found it difficult to give replies to his Excellency's complaints. The
line I took was twofold : First, that I would report the gist of his Excellency's
views, which I have done; and second, that Koweit, placed between two more
powerful neighbours, Nejd and Iraq, needed a strong friend, and that, from the
long point of view, this friend was undoubtedly the British Government. His
Excellency agreed with the latter dictum, and seemed to take some comfort from
my reply. I cannot conceal, however, the disturbing fact that in Koweit, both
with ruler and people, British prestige is on the wane, an opinion which
Colonel Dickson, who is in the best position to know, fully endorses.
5. I do not wish to give the impression, however, that my conversations with
his Excellency were confined to the two distressing questions mentioned above.
My main object in paying a long visit to Koweit was not to find an immediate
solution for its problems, which cannot be hoped for, but to establish personal
and sympathetic contact with its sorely-tried ruler, and in this, with the
assistance of Colonel Dickson, I think I succeeded. His Excellency and I had
many conversations on more cheerful and general topics, and generally I think we
established mutually cordial relations.
I am sending a copy of this letter to His Majesty's Secretary of State for
India. /
I have, &c.
T. C. FOWLE, Lieut.-Colonel,
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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
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