'تقرير الإدارة عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج الفارسي للسنوات ١-١٩١٤" [و‎‎١‎٩‎٧] (٤٨٨/٣٩٨)

POR THE YEAR 1913.
127
-fu^e or "dharamsala". The yearly subscription to the fund for those willing
to subscribe was fixed at not less than R6 each. In March it was stated that
efforts were being made to obtain the services of Assistant Surgeon Davud-ur-
Kahman Khan who is a Sunni Muhammadan and, when in medical charge of
the Kuwait Political Agency during 1904-1907, was held in high esteem by
local Arabs. Later, however, Shaikh Mubarak brought a Turkish doctor by
name Asad Beg from Basrah as his personal medical attendant and placed him
incharge of the new charitable dispensary. After a visit to Bombay, during
which Asad Beg purchased some R5,000 worth of medicines and surgical
instruments, charitable work at the dispensary began. In October he accompa
nied the Shaikh to Eailiyah and there resigned his appointment.' The Arab
dispensary being without a doctor the Shaikh eventually sent the medicines
and instruments left in the dispensary to Basrah and disposed of them for some
182,000 only. It seems fairly evident that Dr. Asad Beg succeeded in lining
Ms pockets to no small extent during the short period he was in Kuwait. The
scheme at the outset was not received very favourably by the elders of the town
who said that they should have been consulted, and its collapse was no great
surprise.
Mr. E. H. Pascoe of the Geological Survey of India arrived, in February, to
Water Supply P reliniin ary investigations for a
water-supply scheme, a reference to
which was made in last year's report. In connection with this he visited
Bandar Shuwaikh, Kubbar Island, Warah Hill and adjacent places in order to
obtain geological data as to strata and formations. The matter is still under
consideration with the Government of India and, up to the date of this report,
no decision had been reached as to whether a supply from artesian well-borings
or from a sea water condensing plant would be the more advantageous. The
matter is an important one, in which an early decision is much to be desired.
At the beginning of August there was one serious water-famine owing to a
strong " Shamal " which lasted 10 days preventing the sailing of any boats.
A new tank-steamer, " Saeed ", ordered by the Shaikh from the Clyde to
supply water to the town from the Shat-el-Arab arrived on the 16th October.
It is improbable that she will be able to cope with the requirements of the
town but, when she took up her duties, it was found that she was more success
ful than was at first anticipated, for she could deliver over 300 tons of water
every 3 or 4 days. The Shaikh has not kept her regularly at the duty for
which she was imported and she is now undergoing alterations with a view to
making her more of a yacht or passenger vessel.
Up to the end of the year the postal work of the town has been performed
^ ^ by the Political Agent's office, but it is
Postal Mat ter«. j .' o j . i. ^ ± a j. n
satisfactory to observe that all arrange
ments are in an advanced state and that the inauguration of a regular Indian
Inland Post Office at Kuwait will take place as soon as the Anglo-Turkish
Convention is published.
The exchange of the Maria Theresa dollar fluctuated between R151| and
145 per 100 dollars from January to
xchatlge * May. In June it began to rise steadily
until it reached R154-8 per cent, in October when the boats returned from the
pearl fisheries ; subsequently it declined to E.148 per cent. in. December. Sove
reigns, rupees, annas and copper pice were exchanged throughout the
year at their par values.
The anniversary of the birthday of His Majesty the King-Emperor was
celebrated on the 3rd June by the distri-
e e rations. bution of alms to the poor and the dress
ing of the Agency and Shaikh's flagstaffs. In the evening the Agency was
illuminated and a reception held by the Political Agent which Shaikhs Jabir
and Salim and other members of the Shaikh's family, and all the leading men
in Kuwait attended.
The usual congratulatory visits were paid by the Political Agent to mem
bers of the Shaikh's family and some of the leading men on the Id-ul-Pitr on
the 2nd and 3rd September.