"ملف II. العراق (٣) المجلد ١ بساتين التمر العائدة لشيخ الكويت في شط العرب. (علاقات الكويت مع الحكومة التركية والمطالبة التركية بضرورة استخراج الكويتيين شهادات الجنسية التركية)" [ظ‎‎٩‎٣] (٦٣٦/١٩٦)

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The Sheikh said he replied to this insinuation by explaining that he was not
subject to the English Government; there was an old friendship between Koweit
and the English from the time of his forefathers, and it was natural when the
English had so much to do with the Persian Gulf; kept the peace there between
various conflicting interests and safe-guarded the pearl-banks; when most of the
trade in the Gulf was English or with Indian ports; when numbers of Koweit
vessels traded directly with Bombay and Malabar coast ports; when their officers
everywhere in the Gulf and India helped his subjects, as well as those of other
Persian Gulf Chiefs, in their difficulties away from home. ^ He was friends with
the English as he was with the Wali and other Turkish officials.
5. I give the above for what it is worth, but venture to think that our posi
tion in Koweit is probably far more closeW watched now by the new Turkish
Government than it ever was before the Constantinople revolution. With refer
ence to paragraph 2 above and the Wall’s ideas on telegraphic connection it may
be noted here that the Sheikh has more than once asked me why the British
Government does not instal a telegraph office here, more particularly a wireless
station for the use of the Political Agent. I have always explained that these
schemes cost money and the British Government requires that they should pay
their expenses; an office only to give the Political Agent better communication
was quite impracticable, but if there was a fair prospect of sufficient return for
the outlay from public use and the Sheikh himself desired it, no doubt they would
consider the project. The subject has never been pursued beyond incidental
conversation on the merits of quick communicaiion and it is doubtful whether
an office here would pay expenses for a long time after installation.
*
G.C. D. P., Simla.-No £. 1689 F. D.-21 610-44 -*P-L. W.
*