'File 13/3 Arms Traffic' [‎144v] (288/608)

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After usual greetings, ^sked Shaikh about the French “ sambuk Shaikh
replied that he had done his best by ordering it out of the port and refusing
permission to landing, but that the Maskat b-akhuda head threatened' him with
going to Fao and wiring to French Consul. Finally, against his orders, the arms in
number of 321 rides, mostly 5. shot magazine Mausers and a lot of ammunition had
been landed during the night ot Friday-Saturday (29th-3oth April), and were now
in possession of the French firm’s agent, Mullah Muhammad Atiji. The “sambuk”
still in harbour and Muhammad Saleh not arrested, but Shaikh intends arresting
him. Informed Shaikh of receipt of telegram from Resident and translated
first part, to him He demurred saying afraid of the French, so again pointed out
promise of British support and urged as a reason that deposit of the arms in the
Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. would ensure Shaikh was not subjected to'difficulties with French for the
matter would tnen pass to British Government. Shaikh still demurred and asked
to be allowed to write officially to me reporting the landing of the arms against his
orders and asking for my opinion, and that 1 should reply in an official letter requ
esting him to confiscate them and send them to the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. . 1 made no com
ments, but said that letter seemed hardly necessary in view of very plain terms in
Resident’s telegram of Government’s assistance. Said he would prefer the letter
so as to have something to show any Frenchman who made things unpleasant for
him. Talk then drifted to Muhammad Saleh, and Shaikh said he proposed sum
moning some of his old men to pronounce on his nationality and if they said
Kuwaitihe would imprison him. After various other subjects I left. Most unsatis
factory An East India Company trading post. , as convinced Sheikh did not tell me correct number of rifles, and landing
was impossible unless covertly connived at by Sheikh. Do not believe he pro
poses anything for Muhammad Saleh.
Just at leaving, Sheikh brought up old plea that “ sambuk ” could not leave
without pilot, and as his proclamation dees not include confiscation or detention
of the empty boat, especially when he has not confiscated the arms, 1 reiterated
my previous suggestion that boat could engage any of the dozens of other
Kuwait pilots. _.. irv .^
1st May /q fo. W. H. I. SHAKESPEAR.
(Confidential) No. C.-23, dated Kuwait, the icth May 1910.
From—C aptain W. H. I. SHAKESPEAR, 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. , Kuwait,
To—The 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. , Bushire.
1 have the honour to submit the following report in continuation of my
letter No C.-22, dated the 4th May 1910, and in explanation of the two telegrams
subsequently sent to you, regarding Shaikh Mubarak’s action in the matter of
the arms and ammunition landed from the French sambuk “ Fateh-el-Khair.”
* 2 My scepticism as to the Shaikh’s good intentions was not unjustified, for
when my clerk presented himself at the Shaikh’s palace as arranged on the
morning following the conversation already reported, the Shaikh informed him
that he" would not confiscate the arms without “ an order from the Sahib ” I
had taken the precaution of furnishing my clerk with written instructions, and on
his explanation of these, the Shaikh apparently began to equivocate and distort
the arrangements upon which he had agreed with me the day before ; finally he
sent Abdullah bin Muhammad Atiji to receive his ordeis direct from me. I
returned a message that 1 had no “ orders” for anyone except my own clerk,
and that the latter had been sent to the Shaikh in accordance with his request
of the previous day. The Shaikh then definite!^ refused to carry out the con
fiscation and sent my clerk back to inform me of his decision. On this I went
immediately to see the Shaikh. The Shaikh at once began to explain that I
must have misunderstood his intentions the day beLre, that it was impossible
for him to issue orders for confiscation, etc., etc. I heard the Shaikh out, and
then took him over the whole of the ground again carefully, finally translating
to him parts of my letter C.-22 in which I had already reported our conveisation
to you. In reply to frequent queries whether my report did not truly represent
what had actually, passed, the Shaikh invariably replied in the affirmative; I
then t ointed cut that, that being the case, I w T as at a loss to explain his change