ملف رقم ٢١٨٢ لسنة ١٩١٣، الجزء ٤ "الخليج الفارسي: السياسة تجاه ابن سعود (بعثة النقيب شكسبير)" [و‎‎١‎٢‎٣] (٤٢٦/٢٤٧)

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that he had not yet had the opportunity of giving a formal reply.
7. I replied that in my opinion the terms were at least as
goad as he had any right to expect and that I was not empowered
to discuss them, and I impressed upon Talib the advisability of
submitting to the arrangement which would ultimately be made on
his behalf and which would most certainly be fair and just. See
ing that I was not to be drawn into a discussion of terms or
prepared to give any promise beyond that of personal good offices
to the extent of explaining to you the difficult position in
which he was placed, mg visitor withdrew.
8. This morning early the reply from you arrived (copy at
tached) end I at once called upon the Shaikh who consented to
keep Talib with him for the present in accordance with your
wishes, and told me candidly that it would not be well to place
full reliance upon his professions of submission and fidelity
which was also rny own conviction. Talib came over to the Agency
two hours later and on being informed of the purport of your
reply recommenced to make representations regarding terns and
was again informed that I had no pbwer to discuss them and
was moreover surprised to find from your message that he had
refused the friendly offer previously made.
9. At about 2 p.m. the above mentioned Abd-ul-Aziz bin
Selim came to inform me that Saiyid Talib and his accompanying
oarty of 12 men had decamped unknown to the Shaikh, and were
now on their way to J ahrah and thence to Bor aid ah where one
Amir Bin Baud is at present. His ooject in coming to Kuwait
was thus made clear. Xt wa.s to sound, me on bo one poss^oility
of obtaining better terms for his friendship than those which
he had refused,and, through me, to obtain a further offer from
you, and he has now cut himself off from all possible claim
upon our benevolent consideration.
10. in connection with Saiyid TaLio’s escape from Kuwait the
following points may be noted:-
(1) He had been allowed to enter the town with mi approval
I could not therefore demand his retention against his
will without committing a. breach of faith, and for j
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