"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)" [و‎‎٥‎٦] (٦٣٦/١١٥)

themselvas. They would form a basis for arbitration should oc
casion arise, but they would have no validity in the courts of
the Sheriat, nor would they, it appears, operate as a legal
transfer of the land or take the place of the usual proceedings
at the Tapoo Office, which are left over for completion until
the val^s opposition in the matter can be overcome*
I took the duplicate agreement to Koweit with me for sig
nature as described, and availed myself of the opportunity to .
discuss the whole question with hajor Knox and the Sheikh him
self* It would appear that the vali*s opposition is premedi
tated, and goes to the root of the whole matter. His Excellen
cy has, according to Sheikh Mobarak, again raised the question
of Koweitis who reside and trade at Bussorah taking out certi-
ficates of Turkish nationality before their claims or complaints
are entertained by the vali or the courts. In July 1907 Sheikh
Mobarak appears to have reported to His Majesty^ Political Agent
that the then vali of Bussorah, Hassan Bey, had notified certain
Koweit merchants trading at Bussorah to register themselves as
Ottoman subjects under penalty of expulsion if they refused.
The merchant interested, however, left Bussorah of his own ac
cord, and the matter dropped. Sheikh Mobarak also complained
of the treatment accorded to Hammad-el-Khalid, a rich pearl mer
chant of Koweit, who sought to recover £T.1,000 at Bussorah.
The vali, according to the Sheikh, insited on the aan registering
himself as an Ottoman subject before efcpe entertaining the claim
and it seems that he acceeded to this demand in order to recover
his debt. Major Knox is of opinion that Khalid was probably
infetructed by the Sheikh to take out the nufuss teskereh with a
view to bringing about our interference, and so obtain the issue
of instructions to the vali which would assist the Tapoo opera
tions in connection with the transfer of the Padaghia property,
in which the Sheikh himself is deeply interested. The vali also
wrote to Sheikh Mobarak, so the latter informed us, inviting him
to send a deputy to the Turkish Parliament, but the Sheikh had
not yet answered the letter.
/■
Tue vali is undoubtedly doing his best to disturb the status
v/
quo preiously arranged between His Majesty’s Government and the
r
Sublime