Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎56v] (112/544)

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summarised the situation and would commend itself to the Com
mittee. It had, however, been crossed by a despatch from the
Viceroy (E.C.-652), which recommended that any message sent to
the Sheikh should be expressed in terms as conciliatory as possible
without loss of firmness ; and further stated that, while the Govern
ment of India appreciated the desirability of checking trade with
Koweit, they did not consider this of sufficient importance to justify
the risk of an open breach with the Sheikh, and, consequently, the
necessity of military occupation with its far-reaching effect on other
ports of Arabia. The note issued by the War Office (E.C.-670)
indicated that the latest information received by that Department
went to show that the blockade was successful.
Mr. Shuekburgh said that 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. was prepared to
accept the proposals of the Indian Government, subject to the
concurrence of the War Office. The point was whether supplies
were getting to Medina, Damascus, and Egypt, ft was evident that
the Sheikh wished to be given the opportunity of proving his loyalty,
and he thought that the Indian Government were apprehensive of
anything in the nature of a threat being used when the Sheikh was
approached. The 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. at Bagdad had been instructed
to tell our agent at Koweit to use his discretion as to the form of
words that should be employed when approaching the Sheikh.
Colonel Gribbon said tiiat the War Office were quite prepared
to endorse the procedure suggested by the Indian Government.
After a brief discussion, the Committee decided —
To endorse the policy suggested by the Government of India, and
instructed the Secretarnj of State for India to give effect to
this decision.
Position of Sir P.
Sykes and the con
trol of the Military
Operations.
I. The Chairman said that the decision of the Committee on the
21st ultimo E.C. 15th Minutes (2) ), had been communicated to the
Indian Government in the Secretary of State for India’s telegram of
the 22nd June, 1918 (E.C. (*>19), which stated that His Majesty’s
Government had decided to place all British troops in South Persia
under the command of a single officer, with the rank of Brigadier-
General, to be sent from India and to act under the instructions of
the Indian Government; that if that Government saw no objection
they should take immediate steps to select and despatch an officer
accordingly; the officer’s command would not include the South
Persia Ruffes, which would remain, as at present, a Persian force
under Sykes as Inspector-General, but it would be open to the
officer selected to apply to Sykes for co-operation of the South Persia
Rifles whenever the latter thought necessary ; and that the above
arrangement should be regarded as provisional only, pending the
consideration of the whole question of policy in Persia about to be
undertaken by His Majesty's Government in the immediate futur
when full weight would be given to the views which the Governor-
General had so often urged. zV reply to this telegram had since
been received from the Viceroy, dated the 27th June, 1918
(E.C. 649), stating that the following considerations presented
themselves to the Indian Government regarding the proposed
appointment of a Brigadier-General to command Indian troops in
South Persia :—
(a.) Shiraz was now isolated and no Brigadier-General could
get there, while, in any case, united command of this
force was necessary during present military operations.
The only officer in Shiraz whom the Commander-in-chief
would recommend for the appointment was Colonel
Orton, at present Sykes’ deputy in the South Persia
Rifles.
(6.) Elsewhere in South Persia, except in Bushire, Indian troops,