'Volume II. MEMORANDA REGARDING OTHER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. 1905.' [‎24r] (52/228)

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without avail, by the Wali of Basrah, for
permission to establish at Koweit a Turkish
Post Office, a Sanitary Office, and a post
of Ottoman troops; further, that the Turks
have been given an evasive reply to their
request for assurances from the Sheikh as
to his loyalty to the Sultan. The Sheikh
has been accused by the Wali of Basrah of try
ing to win over certain Arab tribes to his side,
and of showingleanings towards the English by
his allowing them to open a Post Office in his
town. He has replied that he is the obedient
servant of the Ottoman Government, and his
appearance with Abdur Bahman at the
interviews of 8th and 13th February was to
prove his submission {vide paragraph 25 of
Memorandum for April).
22. {Vide paragraph 19 of Memorandum
for April.) There is now no British officer at
Koweit, Captain Knox having had to leave
for England owing to illness.
23. A report was received (1st May) on
the trade in arms and ammunition at Koweit.
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. has been unable to get
any satisfactory replies from Sheikh Mubarak
respecting the matter, but from private in
formation gathered, it appears that the trade
dates from Sheikh Mubarak’s usurpation
of the Chieftainship, his predecessor refusing
to allow anything of the kind through
fear of the Turks. The principal source is
Maskat, and the annual importation is
estimated at some 12,000 rifles, which are
distributed equally between Persia and Turkey;
a small proportion of those for the latter
country going to the Bedouins and Nejd.
Mons. Goguyer does not do much of a trade
in this line {vide paragraph 28 of Memorandum
for April).
24. The Sheikh of Koweit has permitted
Barkash and Salim, the head Sheikhs of the
Tawala section of the Shammar tribe, with a
following of some 2,000 men, to settle down at
Jahra. The concession was sought owing to
the Tawala Sheikhs having fallen out with
Ibn Bashid.
25. Sir A. Hardinge in March last
discussed at length with the Mushir-ed-
Dowleh the question of the status of Koweit,
and pressed for the consent of the Persian
Government to Koweit Arabs being accorded
the same treatment as Afghans in Persia. The
Mushir-ed-Dowleh has promised to consider
the subject. His Majesty’s Government have
approved of the action, and have authorised
Sir A. Hardinge to use his discretion as to
taking further steps in the matter {vide
paragraph 21 of Memorandum for April).
26. A report has been furnished through
the Director of the Boyal Indian Marine with
respect to the position and requirements of a