'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA. PART I - The Persian Gulf.' [‎31r] (66/92)

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Paslm, a rebellious Men afik chief of Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. with whom Sheikh Muba
rak was in friendly relations, made a sadden and successful raid upon the tcrri-
tones and subjects of Ibn Rashid. In October 19n0 Ibn Rashid descended
from his desert fastnesses to the neighbourhood of Samawah with the purpose
of attacking Sadun, to whose assistance the Sheikh of Koweit immediately pro-
needed, and a collision appeared to be imminent upon the borders of Tnrliah
territory The Turkish Wall of Basrah, ho,ever, who was well dUsed to
Mubarak, intervened between the combatants ; Ibn Rashid was persuaded to
nnnkbed T Ar t bm ‘"/ tS" n der ? ti0n °. f a pr ° mise that S;l( ^i would be
punished by the Turks, and Mubarak was induced to pay a visit to the Wali
conferred upon him 01 ' “ TU ' kiSh Where a Turkish decoration was
q. The results of this pacification were transient. In December 1900 the
Sheikh of Koweit, notwithstanding that he had been warned by the Govern-
ment of India to avoid activity giving the Turks a pretext for interference
undertook, m concert with Sadun Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , a serious invasion of Central Arabia
m the interests of Ibn Saud. He soon reached Hafar and, after a temporary
retirement advanced into Kasim where his successes were rapid and brilliant
In March 1901> however, he met with a decided reverse, in which his army was
dispersed, and was obliged to return to Koweit.
The Turks immediately took advantage of Mubarak’s weakened position to
press their designs on Koweit. In May 1901 the Wall of Basrah visited
Koweit and tried to intimidate the Sheikh into accepting a Turkish garrison at
^ tl ? e S^kwouid not agree, and shortly afterwards he applied
to the British Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. to be taken under a
regular British protectorate. The position was immediately placed by Lord
Curzon before His Majesty’s Government together with a statement of the
alternative policies between which a choice lay. The motives which prompted
the Sheikh s request were selfish; he was afraid of Ibn Kashid and of the
Turks, and he merely turned to the British Government as the least exacting
of his neighbours. It was open to His Majesty’s Government to declare
an open protectorate over Koweit, and this in Lord Curzon’s opinion was
the inevitable ultimate solution of the question; on the other hand it was
also possible to maintain the patchwork status quo, but this would be a
makeshift which would not stop intrigue, and it would cover a policy which
in the last resort was indistinguishable from a protectorate. His Majesty’s
Government were unwilling to incur the difficulties and embarrassments
which might result from the declaration of a protectorate ; but they authorised
the Government of India to inform Mubarak that, while his request for a
protectorate could not be granted, the British Government, would observe their
agreement with him provided that he on his part adhered to his engagements
with Government. A suggestion by Lord Curzon that the Sheikh should
be advised to disoontinue the use of the Turkish flag, replacing it by the red
flag of an independent Arab Chief, did not commend itself to His Majesty’s
Government. The assurance authorised by the Secretary of State reached
Mubarak on the 23rd of August 1901, and two days later an attempt was
made by the commander of the Turkish war vessel “ Zuhaf ”, then at Koweit,
to extort from the Sheikh an admission of Turkish sovereignty. Diplo
matic discussions at Constantinople ensued, in which the German Embassy
participated on the Turkish side, and at the beginning of September a settle-
ment. was arranged on the basis of a mutual maintenance of the existing
(but imperfectly defined) position : the Turks were at the same time informed
that interference by them with Koweit would not be tolerated. This arrange
ment however did not alleviate the strained situation which prevailed at the
place itself. In September 1901 raids were made by Ibn Bashid into Koweit
territory and a large number of Mubarak’s Bedouin subjects flocked in from
the desert and took refuge from attack under the walls of the town. Lord
Curzon authorised the British naval authorities to repel any assult by Ibn
Bashid upon Koweit town, but he directed that the Amir should be first
warned, if possible, that British troops would assist in the defence of the place.
British gunboats were accordingly placed in readiness to meet the expected
attack and general measures of defence were arranged which restored confidence