'Persian Gulf Gazetteer, Part I Historical and Political Materials, Précis of Koweit [Kuwait] Affairs, 1896-1904' [‎2f] (18/132)

2f
PRfiCIS OF
KOWEIT AFFAIRS.
I—BRIEF HISTORY OP KOWEIT PROM CI£CA 1716 TO 1896.
1. Koweit has been playing a part in the theatre of Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. poli
tics only within the last ten years. Its previous history was marked by few poli
tical events, except deaths of its chiefs and successions, which took place with
out disturbance. It is frequently mentioned under the name of Grane, Gran or
Grain in the correspoodence connected with the British factory An East India Company trading post. at Basrah in the
last half of the 18th century, as a port of call for ships plying between Bombay
and Basrah for the trade of Central Arabia.
2. The earliest account in our records descriptive of Koweit is contained in ColehrooJce't re-
Major Colebrooke's report about the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. littoral, dated 10th September 2 ' 0 ^' 1820 '
1820 :—
" The first settlement at the head of the Gulf is Koweit situated in a commodious harbour,.
and inhabited by a mixed race of Arabs in subjec-
Pa-e 259 Bombay Political Department, tion to the Aula Unhbeit, a branch of the Utubi
tribe It is represpnted to be defended by a Fort
mounting 20 guns, but as the water in the town is insufficient for the inhabitants, who supply
• mu ^ i i -i j themselves from the small Island of Felicke, *the
• The Failaka island. . . , . i i £ j .• L • ,
place must be incapable ot derence except against
surprise or sudden assault. According to the most probable estimate the armed population
amounts to from 5,000 to 7,000 men, of these but a few hundreds are Utubis, the rest a mixed
race commercially and peaceably disposed. The Island of Feliche is inhnbited by about SdO
men of the wixed class and protected by a towered Ghurry. As a survey of this Port was made
by order of Government, a general description is unnecessary
3. In the year 1821, when the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Baghdad has been subjecting the fac- Rownt made tem.
« v „ v . , „ + f vi w fiao! tory of Basrah to unjust exactions of duties
Bombay Political Department, Volume 59 of 1821. X , J t.*- ■ tlement, ICMI.
J and to other annoyances, Sir Mountstuart
Elphinstone, Governor of Bombay, found it necessary to threaten the pachalic
of Baghdad with an interdict of all commercial intercourse. To show that the
East India Company was in earnest, the Resident of Basrah, under the Gover
nor's instructions, struck the British flag at Basrah on 25th December 1821
and removed the British settlement to the island of Grain as being the most
eligible spot. The Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. soon after made peace with the Company's Agents
and the factory An East India Company trading post. was re-established at Basrah. It may be noted that * Grain '
is spoken of here as an island. Probably it was the Eailaka island which is at
the entrance of the Bay of Koweit.
4. In 1829 Major George B. Brucks submitted to the Bombay Govern- Major BrucVi
t Pasje 576 of selections from Bombay Govern- ment an aCCOUnt about the navigation of re P or ^t 1829.
ment Records, Vol. xxiv. the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and be writesf about
the Koweit Sheikhs ;—
T/iey acknowledged the authority of the Turks, and pay the tribute of forty lags of rice
and four hundred frazils of dates annnally. The Sheikh also receives an honorary dress from,
the Turkish Government yearly. —They have enjoyed peace while all other parts of the Gulf
have been embroiled, and to this they owe their maritime greatness. Cattle are to be pro
cured good, but very dear.
From Grane to Khore el KufPagi, alonq: the Arabian Coast, the authority of the Sheikh
of Grane is partially acknowledged by the Bedouin Tribe, who are mostly of the A1 Ali, and
a branch of the Beni Khalid, and some wandering- parties of other tribes ; also some few strag
gling- camps of the Montific Tribe, who coir>e this way at certain seasons. The amount of
imports to Grane is said to be about five lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of dollars, the exports are under one lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
The variation of the compass at Grane in IHSS-i was 5° 11' W. Grane also takes a share in the
pearl fishery.
In 1847 the Sheikh of Koweit is said to have declared himself a
vassal of the Porte (see page 418 of Bombay Selections No. XXIV).
5. In his report on the tribes, etc., around the shores of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Colonel
dated 16th July 1863 (published;, Colonel Pelly noted :— report, 1863.