'Volume II. MEMORANDA REGARDING OTHER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. 1905.' [‎52v] (109/228)

on the Award and the examination of the
claims of the French proteges have therefore
been suspended till these questions have been
solved.
13. {Vide paragraph 12 of the Memo
randum for November 1905.) The proposals for
the reform of the Customs made to the Sultan
have not been cordially received; and in
accordance with the instructions contained in
the telegram, dated 7th December, from Secre
tary of State, the question of a loan to His
Highness has been dropped till the negotiations,
now in progress relative to the Arbitration
Award, have terminated.
14. The French flagship from Jibouti
arrived at Maskat on the 24th December, and
left on the 28th.
15. Koweit and Nejd .—Assistant Sur
geon Daudar Rahman proceeded on three
months’ privilege leave on the 22nd November.
16. It is reported that, about last
August, Sheikh Mubarak sent £450 (Turkish)
to the Wali of Basrah towards the cost of
some new barracks there, and has promised a
further contribution of £200 (Turkish); and
that this matter has been the occasion of an
interchange of complimentary letters between
the Sheikh and the Mali, which the former
explains to be due to a desire on his part to
humour the Turks.
17. (Vide paragraph 18 of Memorandum
for November 1905.) From the correspond
ence forwarded with a despatch from the
Secretary of State, dated the 1st December, it
appears that His Majesty’s Government do not
consider it desirable to include at present a
survey of Ojeir in the programme of the opera
tions of the Survey Department in the Persian
Gulf in view of the following facts (1) That
an arrangement is being concerted between the
Wall of Basrah and the Sheikh of Koweit for
the conveyance of the Hassa mails overland ;
and that, if this projected service be actually
carried out, it would remove the pretext for
surveying the approach to Ojeir; and 2) that
it is apprehended that some form of protest from
the Porte would follow, especially in view of
the contemplated surveys round koweit and in
the adjoining waters, and that the present
winter would not be a propitious time for
the operations of the Survey Depart-
♦ v, 18 k T - he Turkish troops in Nejd appear
to be suffering from want and privations. 1 it is
n«w a Turkish General, three other
olhceis, and four privates arrived at Paillah from
^ ejd m a destitute condition, and complained
that they had been starving, as Ibn liashirl
never supplied them with provisions “and £
the latter acknowledged on one occasion that he