'Memorandum respecting Koweit' [‎11v] (12/14)

12
APPENDIX.
No. 1.
Agreement with the Sheikh of Kmveit, January 23, 1899.
(Translation of Arabic bond.)
Praise be to God alone (lit. in the name of God Almighty) ('' Bissim Illah Ta'alah Shannho "J.
THE object of writing this lawful and honourable bond is that it is hereby covenanted and
agreed between Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm John Meade, T.S .C .,Her Britannic Majesty's Political
Resident, on behalf of the British Government on the one part, and Sheikh Mubarak-bin-Sheikh
Subah, Sheikh of Koweit, on the other part, that the said Sheikh Mubarak-bin-Sheikh Subah, of
his own free will and desire, does hereby pledge and bind himself, his heirs and successors, not to
receive the Agent or Kepresentative of any Power or Government at Koweit, or at any other
place within the limits of his territory, without the previous sanction of the British Government;
and he further binds himself, his heirs and successors, not to cede, sell, lease, mortgage, or give
for occupation, or for any other purpose, any portion of his territory to the Government or subjects
of any other Power without the previous consent of Her Majesty's Government for these purposes.
This engagement also to extend to any portion of the territory of the said Sheikh Mubarak which
may now be in the possession of the subjects of arf^ other Government.
In token of the conclusion of this lawful and honourable bond, Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm
John Meade, I.S.C., Her Britannic Majesty's 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. , and Sheikh
.Mubarak-bin-Sheikh Subah, the former on behalf of the British Government, and the latter on
behalf of himself, his heirs and successors, do each, in the presence of witnesses, affix their
signatures on this, the 10th day of Ramazan, 1316, corresponding with the 23rd day of January,
(Signed) M. J. MP^ADE, 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. .
Witnesses :
(Signed) E. Wiokham Hore,
Captain, I.M.S.
J. Calcott Gaskin.
(Signed) MUBARAK-AL-SUBAH.
(L.S.)
Witness:
(Signed) Muhammad Rahim bin Abdul nebi Saffer.
(L.S.)
(T ranslation of Arabic letter.)
Lieutenant-Colonel Meade to Sheikh Mubarak-bin-Subah.
(Secret.)
(After compliments.) January 23, 1899.
IN view of the signing to-day of the Agreement, so happily concluded between you, Sheikh
Mubarak-bin-Subah, on behalf of yourself, your heirs and successors, on the one part, and myself,
on behalf of Her Britannic Majesty's Government, I now assure you, as Sheikh of Koweit, of the
good offices of the British Government towards you, your heirs and successors, as long as you,
your heirs and successors, scrupulously and faithfully observe the conditions of the said bond.
1 he three copies of the bond will be sent to India to be ratified by his Excellency Lord
Curzon of Kedleston, Her Imperial Majesty's Viceroy and Governor-General in Council, and, on
their return, one copy, duly ratified, will be conveyed to you, when I will take measures to send
you, as agreed, a sum of 15,000 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. from the Bushire Treasury. A most important condition
of the execution of this Agreement is that it is to be kept absolutely secret, and not divulged or
made public in any way without the previous consent of the British Government.
No. 2.
Memorandum by the Marquess of jLansdowne.
Koweit is becoming more and more embarrassing, and the time has
come for lookmg it m the face.
armiv^ C +i iaVe Sac ^ ec ^ ourselves with an impossible client in the person of the Sheikh. He is
rmr nKl! u " tru8 ^ 0 ^y savage, no one knows where his possessions begin and end, and
^-.a ions owards him are as ill-defined as the boundaries of his Principality. We have