"الملف 73/7 II (D 22) وضع الكويت - سكة حديد بغداد، والمفاوضات الأنجلو تركية" [ظ‎‎١‎٩‎٧] (٥٤٠/٤٠٠)

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plv daily to Kathama, from the vicinity of which most of the building stone tor
Kuwait is brought; that the Shaikh and other Kuwait people keep their horses
and maintain gardens at Jahra, whilst market produce is daily brought into
Kuwait from the place ; that the Shaikh's drinking-water as well as that tor this
Political Agency is brought daily from Sirra and the townspeople make the
place and its vicinity a picnic resort. Again it is contended that the Shaikh s
influence does not extend beyond " 20 kilometres, i.e., to the limits of the territory
occupied by the great Ajman tribe". In the first place the Ajman tribe
cannot approach for grazing purposes within 100 miles of Kuwait without the
Shaikh's express permission ; secondly, the Shaikh levies " zikat ' from this tribe ;
thirdly, he has more than once imprisoned their Shaikhs for misbehaviour and
at the present moment he has some 25 representatives of various sections of this
tribe in prison in Kuwait, including the Shaikh of the Safran section; fourthly, on
the death of Mahomed al Hithlain in the spring of 1910, the selection of a suc
cessor to the chief shaikhship of the Ajman was made by Mubarakh, {yide Kuwait
News for week ending 13th April 1910)- this occasion the Shaikh of every
section of the Ajman tribe came to Kuwait and I personally happened to be
present when it was decided by Mubarakh in a conference that Fahad and Thaidan
al Hilhlain should succeed Mahomed.
If the rest of the Turkish reply anent Kuwait shows the same extraordinary
ignorance (to use no stronger term) of existing facts, I venture to think that
Shaikh Mubarakh's side of the case as presented by this Political Agency at
least merits acceptance until the Turkish Government can lead evidence which
can be truly so described in place of the wild unsupported assertions which so
far seem to have formed the basis of their claims. In point of fact the Turks
have no first-hand knowledge of the interior nor of the tribes over whom they
claim authority.
Statement of Othman bin Mahomed al Ateybi, aged about 55 years, at present
residing in Kuwait.
Over two years ago I left Safwan where my family had been settled from
my forefathers' time. We left the place because when the soldiers came they
began to oppress us and worry us with demands for the few things we grew. We
came originally from Nejd and I am really from the Ateyba tribe. I do not know
when my forefathers came to Safwan, but it was very long ago; I was actually
born in Kuwait but worked at the gardens in Safwan from when I was quite a
small boy. There were about 15 huts in the place all belonging to our Nejd
people. We cultivated grain, wheat and barley and vegetables. We had no
regular payments to make to any one but it was upon us to look after Shaikh
Mubarakh's cattle, sheep, camels etc., when they were in our vicinity and we had
to draw the water and maintain the wells in order for him. Two years ago there
W. H. I. SHAKESPEAR, Captain,
Political Agent, Kuwait,
States: