'File 53/1, 3, 5, 6 A (D 1) Koweit [Kuwait] affairs, 1896-1901' [‎126r] (263/788)

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Received with letter No. 32, dated the 16th July 1897, from Secretary, Political and
Secret Department.
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(Copy.)
Foreisrn 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. .
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Foreign Office, July 3, 1897.
Sift,
I am directed by the Marquess of Salisbury to inform you that copies of
o o ' oct odfi mt -i007 m J l e tter of the 26th of April and of your
See Secretary's 25, dated 28tL May 1897. ^ , r .v c - mt i a - x xi
reply of the 20th of May relative to the
steps to be taken in regard to the piratical attack on the' Indian Baghla
Haripam at the mouth of the Shat-el-Arab in September IB^o, were trans
mitted to Her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople.
A despatch, of which a copy is forwarded herewith, has now been received
from Sir P. Currie on the subject.
In view of the difficulties which His Excellency foresees in the way of
the appointment of a mixed Commission for the detection of the pirates, Lord
Salisbury would suggest, for the consideration of the Secretary of State for
India, that the proposal should be dropped.
I am, &c.,
(Sd.) FRANCIS BERTIE.
Enclosure in above.
Sir P. Cuerie to the Foreign Office.
No. 4] 3.
Constanticople, June 2ith, 1897.
My Lord,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Lordship's despatch
No. 140 of May 26th, inclosing copies of correspondence with the 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.
on the subject of the Haripasa piracy case and asking my opinion on the
proposal made by Mr. Consul-General Mockler for the appointment of a
Turco-Persian Commission with a view of detecting the pirates who were con
cerned in the attack on the Haripasa,
As I foresaw that the appointment of such a Commission would be sur
rounded with many difficulties, I instructed Mr. Block to speak informally to
the Foreign Minister on the subject.
His Excellency entirely concurred in my view as to the difficulty of
obtaining the appointment of a Turco-Persian Commission which would only
be increased by the fact that it was proposed to attach a British Officer to it.
He considered the most practical method was to warn the Sheikh of Koweit
that any renewal of such acts would bring upon him a very serious responsi
bility. His Excellency added that he was speaking purely unofficially, and
that if Her Majesty's Embassy wished for a definite and authoritative reply
as to the appointment of a Commission, the matter must be laid before him in
a Note Verbale.
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