'File 73/7 II (D 22) Status of Koweit [Kuwait] - Baghdad railway, Anglo Turkish negotiations' [‎138r] (281/540)

CCNFIDENTIAL.
« f... .=v| ^
' 4
V
■H
No. 977, dated Bashire, the 24th April (received 2nd May) iqto.
From— L ieutenant -C olonel P. Z. Cox, C.S .I. , C .I .E., Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To—The H on'ble M r. S. H. B utler , C .S.I., C.I.E., Secretary to the Government
of India in the Foreign Department, Simla.
I have the honour to forward, for the information of the Government of
Kuwait No .33, dated 2 3 rd M».h ,9,0. India, copies of the marginally cited reports
Kuwait No. C-is dated 4th April 1910, with from Captain W, H. I. Shakespear, Poli-
enciosures. ^ ca | ^g ent> Kuwait, dealing with a recent
tour made by him in the interior. The first communication gives cover to an
interesting diary and itinerary, the second to geographical note and sketch map.
2. It would be convenient for the use of local officers if the Survey of India
could produce a rough map on the scale of i"==4 miles from a combination of
Captain Shakespear's present sketch and that drawn up by Major Knox in 1908,
which accompanied Bushire Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. letter No. 1098, dated 5th April 1908, to
the Foreign Department.
No. 133, dated Kuwait, the 23rd March 1910.
From—Captain W. H .1. S hakespear, I.A., 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. ,
To—The Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire.
I have the honour to forward herewith a diary of my last tour into the
Kuwait hinterland.
2. According to Bedouin information it would seem that my route ran for
some days along what is recognised as the boundary of Shaikh Mubarak s terri
tory. It may be of interest to note that this territory would be included by a line
joining Jazirat-al-Amayir* on the coast
*(0r jmna ? p. z. c.) w ith Anta's, thence to As-Safa, Al Hafar,
following A1 Batin to Ar Ratk, whence east-south-east to ttiie Khor Um Kasr
to just south of that fort, and the sea on the east. Some doubt seemed to exist
as to whether Warba and Bubyian Islands could be included, but Falaikha
certainly is.
3. I intend to submit a map with a list of the compass readings on which it
is based, but it has not yet been completed and will be forwarded separately at a
later date.
4. The tour occupied 30 days during which some 450 miles or more were
covered. My whole party, men and animals, benefited by the hard work and we
all felt that our general condition and health on return was far better than at
starting and due to the bracing tonic air of the open desert.
Extracts from Diary of 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. 's tour from Kuwait to As-Safa,
Hafar, Al Batin, Safwan and back to Kuwait; February igio.
2Qth January, —Busy over final preparations, but Shaikh Mubarak came in
afternoon to bid me God-speed. He insisted on my > taking some of his men
but at last agreed that one man with a couple of his hawks and a thalul would
suffice in addition to my own Bedouins. Zaid is the man's name and he is of the
Tiblan Umtair; seems a capable fellow. The names of the Shaikh s two hawks
are " Barkat" a very fine Hurr, and " Shalwah " a Shihan not as good as my
own Shihan " jumlah As the trip is to be one with long distances between
water-places, have decided to leave the Mullah behind and use his two camels
for water and food. The party to start to-morrow will therefore be Self, a Mad-
rassi cook, a negro bottle-washer and utility-man, a river Arab as personal
servant, ^ Nejada camel-men. Khalaf with three other of my Bedouins, a Bedouin
chaprassi and Zaid the Shaikh's man. The live-stock consists of 13 hamla