Miscellaneous reports and correspondence relating to Kuwait [‎16r] (31/87)

Juno 26th tho 3.o« "Zayanl" waa ordered to oreroarry her oar^o
which Included more than 21,000 paoka*ea f ntoatly fooletuffs,
for Kuwait#
On June 24th the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. represented that oooupa-
tion was atill the only real solution of the Kuwait Question,
but that if that were not feasible the Shailrh 'a offer raust be
accepted at once as any capital we night hope to raake out of the
acceptance would be lost by further delay: discontent was rife
in the town among high and low and our failure to core to a
dacision ^i^^u^to^the weakness of our position as regards the
war*
On June 38th the Governraent of India issued orders that the
Shaikh's offer should be accepted on certain conditions, which
decision was corrounicat®^ to the sHallrh in the litter njot^d
at length hereafter, while exports from India to Kuwait were
to be prohibited except on permits signed by the Political Apent
or his aepresentatiwe and such executive action as possible was
to be talcen to prevent exports to Kuwait from other ^ulf ports.
The following statement of policy was made n While the Govemrrent
of India appreciate the iesirability of checking trade with
Kuwait they do not consider this of sufficient importance to
justify the risk of an open breach with the Shaikh and the
consequent necessity of military occupation with its possible
far-reaching effect on other parts of Arabia",
On July 5th the following letter (dated July 4th) *as
handed to Shaikh 3alim by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. :-
"After compliments. I have the honour to refer
to Your Excellency^ letter dated May 4th,l^l« * iajab
24th, 133«, in which you say that since olden times
there existed friendship full and perfect between the
British Government and the ilulers of Kuwait in the tine
■
of your late Father and Brother and that you xsk the
High lioTernment to extend this friendship and asai stance
to you and that you therefore wrote the above-rrentloned
letter to say that you were ready to accept full responsi
-bility on your self personally for all that f happened
in Kuwait and its territories likewise and that you
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