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‘Koweit [Kuwait]. A report compiled in the Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General’s Department’ [25] (41/66)
The record is made up of 1 volume (33 folios), with 3 maps. It was created in 1903. It was written in English. 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.
-0
2 S
' I ttt 1
[foods.
planks, spices, etc.) were estimated at about two
lakhs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
of
rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
; wh.le the exports were approximately as follows -
Horses „
"Wool
Dates
Miscellaneous
Total
Rs.
2,40,000
40,000
60,000
40,000
3^0,000 or approximately four
lakhs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
.
Climate.
The climate is distinctly good, as compared with that of
many ports in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
. At the time of my visit (Decern-
ber and January) it was perfection, and could only be compared
with that of Egypt, fine and bracing in the mornings and even
ings and never unpleasantly hot. Even during the hot months
of the year, the prevailing wind, from the north-west, which
blows from the desert, is somewhat tempered by crossing- ten
miles of the waters of the bay, while, on the other hand, it has
not absorbed enough moisture to have that muggy, steamv and
relaxing character with which it reaches Bushire. Though the
drinking water is brackish, fever is practically unknown, and
dysentry and ophthalmia are rare.
In short, as has been rather quaintly remarked, with
reference to the phenomenal longevity of the Sheikhs of Koweit
" where men commence begetting new families at eighty and die
at 120, the climate cannot be considered as prematurely ex
hausting." r 7
Communications.
The whole country is entirely open, and the information as
to even the main routes is extremely meagre.
The most important, in view of the situation at the end of
1901, while I was at Koweit, were the communications in the
direction of Basrah. These are two:—
{a) The direct, or inland, road which after leaving Jehara
crosses the coast range U A1 Aghthi" about 3^ miles to the
north-west of that place, and thence trends northwards to Basrah.
As far as can be seen from the coast range already mentioned,
the character of the country remains the same as that around
Jehara and Koweit, viz., level and open, and a native informant
told me that the road was of the same nature all the way. In
this case it is suitable for the movement of troops of all arms,
the only place where movement is restricted to the immediate
track is at the Gap through which the road rises to the higher
level of the country behind ilie coa-t range.
About this item
- Content
Intelligence report on Kuwait, compiled for the Intelligence Branch of the Quarter Master General’s Department by Captain Henry Harris Hewitt Dowding of the Essex Regiment, and printed at the Government Central Printing Office in Simla, 1903.
The contents of the volume are as follows:
- Introductory remarks;
- Harbour, anchorages;
- History of Kuwait (of the Wahabis, the Ibn Rashid family, the war between Nejd and Kuwait);
- Political (relations between Kuwait and Great Britain, the situation in 1901-02, foreign relations with Russia, Germany, Turkey, events during 1902);
- Military forces, including their strength, arms and equipment, organisation, standard of efficiency and tactics;
- Towns: Kuwait, its population and defences; Jehara [Al-Jahrah], its importance, population and defences;
- Administration, government, free trade, currency;
- Resources, commercial, not agricultural;
- Climate;
- Communications
Four appendices follow the main text: A. routes; B. the Wahabi family; C. the Ibn Rashid family; D. the Shaikhs of Kuwait. The volume also contains three illustrations: the foreshore at Kuwait (folio 3); Mobarek-bin-Subah [Mubarak bin Ṣabāḥ Āl Ṣabāḥ] and his youngest son Naser (folio 9); the Shaikh’s residence in Kuwait (folio 17). The volume also contains three maps: a map of Kuwait and the surrounding country (folio 30); a map of Kuwait harbour (folio 31); and a rough diagram of Jehara (folio 32).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (33 folios), with 3 maps
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged into a number of sections, with major headings in the text and subheadings indicated alongside the text in the outer margins. A contents page (folio 6) lists these major headings and subheadings, along with the volume’s illustrations and maps, and refers to the volume’s original pagination system. Four appendices follow the main text. An alphabetical index (folios 26-28) also refers to the volume’s original pagination system.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the first folio and terminates at the last folio; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located 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.
Pagination: The booklet contains an original typed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘Koweit [Kuwait]. A report compiled in the Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General’s Department’ [25] (41/66), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/153, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023870553.0x000027> [accessed 11 August 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/153
- Title
- ‘Koweit [Kuwait]. A report compiled in the Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General’s Department’
- Pages
- front, front-i, i-r:ii-v, 1:6, 1:4, 4a:4b, 5:18, 18a:18b, 19:23, 32, 25:31, 24, 33:34, 1:14, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence