"مذكرة خاصة بالكويت" [ظ‎‎١‎٤‎٨] (٢٧/١٢)

12
action. If the report was true it was obvious
that Mubarak's death would seriously endanger
the Agreement of 1899, and a ship of war was
placed under orders. Colonel Kemball visited
Koweit (April 18). He found the Sheikh alive,
but was satisfied that he had been severely
defeated. Nothing was said to the Amir.
Mohsin Pasha had remained comparatively
inactive since his diplomatic success of Novem
ber, but the defeat of Mubarak now brought on
Turkish interference in a more acute form. A
Turkish field-Marshal left Bagdad for Bussorah
on the 19th April, followed on the next day by
Turkish troops. It was generally believed that
the Ottoman Government intended to make use
of force with a view to the deposition of
Mubarak.
A British gun-boat was ordered to Koweit,
and Sir N. O'Conor was definitely authorized, in
the event of hostilities being resumed, to warn
the Porte "to refrain from any action against
the Sheikh in view of our arrangement with
him."
But the astute policy of Mohsin Pasha again
prevented matters from coming to a head. The
Turkish Field-Marshal stopped short of Koweit,
and the Yali himself, with a small escort, paid a
friendly visit to the Sheikh. He was unable to
enforce proposals for the establishment of a
Turkish garrison, but Mubarak accompanied him Mr. Wratislaw,
to Fao, renewed his protestations to the Sultan, No * 30 ' June L
and returned to Koweit after a second act of
apparently spontaneous loyalty.*
On the 28th May the Amir of Nejd appealed
for British protection, but, after consultation
with the Viceroy, the India Office expressed the
opinion, in which the Foreign Office concurred,
that it was not advisable to—
" incur the difficulties and embairassments which must i n( ji a office
ensue from the declaration of a Protectorate over June 14.
either the territories of the Chiefs of Koweit and
Nejd."
The Viceroy, however, pointed out that some
answer must be given to the Chiefs, and Colonel
Kemball again visited Koweit with general in
structions to find some modus vivendi between the
* Mohsin Pasha has since been dismissed (Sir N. O'Conor
No. 358, October 2). Nouri Pasha replaces him as Vali and
Military Commander at Busrah.