"الملف 73/7 III (D 24) وضع الكويت، والمفاوضات الأنجلو-التركية" [و‎‎٢‎٤‎٤] (٧٠٩/٤٩٩)

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CONFIDENTIAL.
RECEirl
No.
f Dsfe 8, AUG.191 ]
/tk *<s- — s ^
Ss s<Jt S f A N
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No. 2102, dated Bushire, the loth (received 2ist) July i9 r 3.
From— L ieutenant -C olonel S ir P ercy C ox , KXM.E., C.S.I, Political Resi
dent in the Persian Gulf,
• 'i:: ; • , . i
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department. Simla.
In continuation of my telegram No, 1223 of 9th instant, I have the honour
to report in fuller detail what passed at my interviews withithe Shaikhs of Kuwait
and Mohammerah in connection with the Anglo-Turkish Convention.
2. I arrived at Mohommerah in His Majesty's Ship " Sphinx" on the
evening of 4th instant and was fortunate in finding Shaikh Mobarak still staying
with the Shaikh of Mohammerah. Captain Shakespear, Political Agent at
Kuwait, had also arranged to rendezvous with me there.
3. On the morning of 5th Major Haworth and I had a long interview with
the Shaikh of Mohammerah alone. We read him a translation of the Agreement
regarding the Frontier, as initialled, but described the course of it from its, point
of contact with the Khalyin, to the sea, as indicated by the line shown in the
map, in emendation of the description given in the Convention. Having to some
extent forgotten the details of what passed at our interview with hiirT of 20th
Vide Residency letUr No. 1936," dated 25th August IQI2, Shaikh Khazal Was inclined
Au:ust 1912, to the Government of India in the to start old hares on the boundarv line
Foreign Depaitment. , • 1 1 11 \ *
such as the mid-channel theory; but on
the whole, except for the necessity of travelling over old ground again, we had
little trouble in this co nnection. The Sha ikh did not again raise the question
of the definitioix^-^-^^^ " -i« reference to the relation of islands to the
; while on tne subject of Hakki Pashas' reservation in
»gard to the Khaiyin lands, he was surprisingly sensible, confident no doubt in
the thought that in view of established local facts, it has no concrete signi-
ficance.
4- ^ e then went on to deal with the question of the Riverain Commission,
in which connection translations of such of the provisions of the Convention as
affect Mohammerah were read and explained to the Shaikh. He was very
uneasy as to the probably troublesome results ^iiich might be expected to
ensue from the control of the whole of the waters ofllT^11vrTp«HMU^ssels afloat
thereon, by a Turkish Commission, and from the inevitable activities of its
subordinate employes. In discussing this problem he again raised the question
of the mid-channel line, arguing that from the point where the Karun, a Persian
river, joins the ShaU-al-Arab, it surely was only fair that Persia should share the
possession of the riyer. But as Haji Rais was not present on this occasion and
we had already been talking for over three hours and the Shaikh was getting
tired, we were unable to dispose of the question of the Commission at this sitting
and therefore adjourned, leaving the translation with the Shaikh for further study
and discussion with Haji Rais, and with the intention of finishing with it at the
Shaikh's return visit to me. Meanwhile, and indeed all along, the latter
expressed his firm intention, after talking things out, to comply with our final
advice in the matter.
5. Before parting company I asked him to arrange with his guest. Shaikh
Mobarak, for me f to visit him the following forenoon, and told Shaikh Khazal
briefly what I had to say to the former. He himself took a sensible view of the
question of the location of a Turkish Agent, recognising its one convenient
aspect, i.e., as an indication of Shaikh Mobarak's autonomous position ; and he
promiied to endeavour to influence his friend in the right direction.
6. At Shaikh Khazal s visit to the Consulate on 7th, he was accompanied
by Haji Rais, and they brought an old volume of treaties in Persian, containing
the text of the Treaty of Erzeroum, relying on which they started the mid-
channel question again. AH the old ground had to be gone over once more, but
the Shaikh and his factotum were ultimately persuaded that the recognition of
the iurkish claim to the whole river as provided by the Treaty of Erzeroumj
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