Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎284v] (573/1028)

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Urn al Hi man near Sliaiba, a village on the road and fully 8 miles
inside the frontier started way-laying all and sundry and seizin?
their docks and camels, irrespective of who they were. This took
place close to the camp of 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. who was touring the
Southern- frontier at the time. Steps were at once taken to eject
these gentry and recover the flocks, but Mubarak was too quick and
slipped across the border again. In the pursuit which followed
the raiders were come np with near M afra, in the Kuwait neutral
Zone and a strong protest was made at the flagrant violation of the
frontier. Bin Sand’s officer haughtily informed the Shaikh’s men
that he intended going where he pleased as his orders were to follow
Xejdis right into Kuwait territory including any parties suspected
of going up to buy supplies and to seize and confiscate their camels.
Mubarak was duly warned that he would do so at his peril.
Letters of protest were sent in by the Shaikh’s Deputy and Bin
Sand’s Trade Agent in Kuwait to Ibn Khraimis, the King’s
frontier officer and the latter subsequently apologised in suitable
language. The confiscated sheep and camels were never recovered,
nor was any compensation paid.
(b) On the 31st March a water dispute took place at Uglat ibn Sigai wells
in the north-west Kuwait territory, between the Amir of the
Shaikh’s Fadawiyah and some Dhafir tribesmen of Iraq. The
latter refused to allow the Kuwaiti tribesmen to water their animals
and a fight ensued. The matter was reported to 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.
who was able to prevent it assuming important dimensions.
Necessary representations were made to the Iraq authorities
through the Administration Inspector, Basra, and the Dhafir were
ordered to preserve the peace and obey the Amir’s orders, or return
to their own country.
VII. — Relations with Sa’udiyah and the Blockade of Kuwait.
(a) In spite of severity of the blockade and the apparently unchanged
intention of His Majesty King Bin Sand to bend Kuwait to his will by continuing
to prevent all caravan communications with the interior, as well as by the strict
banning of Kuwait to all his own tribesmen personal relations between the two
Rulers have outwardly been good during the year under review.
(b) Except for the affair of 14th March [see section VI (11-a) abovel, the
unnecessary severe treatment of the Kuwait Haj pilgrims [see IV (k) above]
and the seizure of 140 sheep belonging to a Kuwaiti merchant by Ibn Khraimis
in May there have been no frontier incidents of importance.
(c) The trade blockade of Kuwait has been maintained during 1932 with
perhaps greater severity than ever. It continues to be the outstanding problem
for Kuwait and has steadily increased in severitv since the subjugation of the
rebel Mutair, Ajman and Ataiba tribes by Ibn Saud in 1930.
(d) Outwardly Bin Sand’s declared policy has been, and still is, to
endeavour to deflect tlie trade that would normally pass through Kuwait to the
pio\ ince of Qassim in Xejd and to the great tribes of north-east Arabia in order
to favour his own Hassa ports of Jubail and Ojair. Aetuallv his real intention
\\ ould appear to be to starve Kuwait economieallv until she is forced to come to
terms, which means being incorporated in the Kingdom of al Sa’udivah as a
• aS ?<?on tate ‘ baud ’ 111 fact > ho P es to control of Kuwait as he did Asir
,. , the meantime from the point of view of the King he is killing two
wim one stone, lor, apart from continuing the slow* and steadv process
or starvmg Kuwait, he is preventing the Ajman, Awazim, and Mutair tribes
rom havmg any intercourse with their mother citv and hereditarv rulers. This
connteH^lhp Pin L 111 ? 86 ! ° f preventm £ the Shaikhlv familv of Al Suhah from
countering the blockade, by means of intrigue among his (Bin Sand’s) tribes.
bl °? kad< : Parted it is estimated that Kiuvait has lost 75 per
of tkese restrieHons! year - 1932 n °
Hip rpcrimp nf Tim if- C 1 °. llt * ar j thev have increased m severity under
ivlto took over 1 from thf 4 d • Ius a he " tena ? t . the “ Butcher ”, Hamud al Bagaavi,
of iflkO On tlie evcn 'o •; • lr ai "' tbn Kharaimis respectively in August
b 1 said the King had noticed a falling otf in the