"ملاحظات ميدانية: بلاد الرافدين. هيئة الأركان العامة في الهند. فبراير ١٩١٧". [و‎‎٢‎٦] (٣٥٠/٥٨)

43
Umm Qasr and Safwan constituted the southern limit of
Turkish occupation as distinguished from the territory under
the jurisdiction of the Shaikh of Kuwait.
The political relations between the Shaikh and the Ottoman
Government are mentioned in Chapter I.
(it) Kuwait Bay and Territory.
Following the coast line of the Khor Sabiyah round to
Kuwait Bay or harbour, there is only one spot which calls for
further notice, i.e., Sabiyah (the Khor Sabiyah has been alluded
to on page 41).
Sabiyah is a fortified mud enclosure belonging to the Shaikh
of Kuwait; it is situated on the east bank of the Khor about
3 miles from the tip of the promontory that divides the mouth
of the Khor Sabiyah from Kuwait Bay. The enceinte of the
fort is about 100 yards long by 80 yards broad, and at high
tide the sea approaches it very closely; in spite, however, of
a rather steeply shelving bank, landing is difficult on account
of mud, in all states of the tide. The garrison consists of about
a dozen retainers of the Shaikh of Kuwait. The supply of
water, from wells outside the enceinte, is brackish; there is a
plantation of about 300 young date trees. Sabiyah formerly
boasted some cultivation, which it owed to Yusuf-bin-Ibrahim,
the enemy (now deceased) of the present Shaikh of Kuwait;
but the place was ruined in hostilities between Shaikh Mubarak
and some of his nephews about 1899. Sabiyah is surrounded
by some tamarisks, which, in approaching the place from the
west, first become visible at a distance of about 5 miles.
Extent of Kuwait territory .—The boundaries of the Kuwait
principality are for the most part fluctuating and undefined;
they are, at any given time, the limits of the tribes which then,
either voluntarily or under compidsion, owe allegiance to the
Shaikh of Kuwait. The northern and southern frontiers in the
neighbourhood of the sea, may, however, be regarded as fixed;
on those sides the question is not between the Shaikh and
nomadic Arab tribes, but between the Shaikh and the Turkish
Government. On the north the most advanced Turkish out
posts upon the main land were at Umm Qasr and Safwan,
and the influence of the Shaikh of Kuwait was unquestioned
up to the very walls of those places; we may accordingly con
sider the frontier on this side to be a line running from the