'Persian Gulf Gazetteer, Part I Historical and Political Materials, Précis of Koweit [Kuwait] Affairs, 1896-1904' [‎23] (40/132)

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what had happened. They had landed, as a matter of fact, in disregard of the
quarantine placed against arrivals from foreign ports. As regards these pro
ceedings Colonel Meide in bis letter No. 59, dated 7tli May 1899, made
the following observations :—
" The entire responsibility for what they did rests with me. I foresaw that some attempt
to stop them would be made on the ground of quarantine, and after a consultation witb Cap
tain Ilore, I, M. S. who is in charge of the quarantine airaiigenients here, and the
Commander of the Lawrence, decided that any protest made against their lauding on the
ground of there being quarantine against the Lawrence should be disregarded.
I arrived at this decision for the following reasons : on two .similar previous occasions
Captain C. Baker, the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , succefsfully resisted an at
tempt by Turkish Agents to prevent his landing on the ground of quarantine, though his
ship, the was not from an effected port and, as regards the official at Koweit, Cap
tain Baker had reported that ho considered he was not a regular quarantine officer, but a
spy. Beyond this reference to quarantine at Koweit by Captain Baker, no intimation had
ever reached me that any arrangements existed at the place, and I did not think that Captain
Baker's views were in support of a contention that it did.
Turkey having joined the Venice Convention is, of course, guided by the general rules
formulated in 1897, under which healthy ships would not have to be put into quarantine, if
their last port is a healthy one, as Bahrein undoubtedly is, no case of plague having occurred
there. 1 considered, therefore, that any attempt by local officials to prevent our landing
would be contrary to the rules of the Venice Convention, and would not be supported by the
Sanitary Board at Constantinople.
There was nothing in the condition of Bnshire, or in that of the Lawrence, to make me
hesitate about landiog on the ground that we might convey disease to Koweit, and there was
nothins: to show me that regular quarantine existed, as no signals were hoisted and no one
came off to examine the ship. From Captain Baker's report referred to, the person represent
ing quarantine arrangements at Koweit is not a regular official and this is borne out by the
statement of Mr. Gaskin, who describes him as an ordinary Arab. In short, I came
to the conclusion before communicating with the shore that no effective or regular
quarantine existed at Koweit, and then even if it did, there was nothing in the rules of
the Venice Convention to prevent our communicating with the shore, either from the state
of the port from which we had last come, or of the Laiorence. Such being the case, I felt
I ought not to allow any frivolous objections to stand in the way of my carrying out the orders
1 had received.
It is, I think, quite clear from the reports of the officers who landed, that no force whatever
was employed, and I trust that under the circumstances mentioned, their proceedings, as well
as my own, maybe approved.
It may perhaps not be out of place to express a hope that, if the Turks are allowed to main
tain quarantine at Koweit, steps may be taken to prevent their employing it as a means to to
prevent our communicating with the Sheikh. I gather that quarantine arrangements at
Koweit under the Sanitary Board at Constantinople will in no way imply that the Turks have
any sort of jurisdiction or rights at Kowcit, and that the independence of Koweit will not be
allowed to be prejudiced by such arrangements. It will, however, be necessary to see that
this is clearly understood, and that the Turkish officials are made to adhere strictly to the re
gulations drawn up by the Venice Convention."
„ 10 o,^ 75. The proceedings of Colonel Meade
Secrett E., February IQOi, ^oa. 123sl25. 1 it xr ry t. c
were approved by the Government of
India and Her Majesty's Government.
IX.—(1) Threatened attack on Koweit by the Turks. (2) Defence of
Koweit, February—March, 1899.
76. On the 2nd Eebruary 1899 Colonel Meade telegraphed that the Turks
* o . r, u .coo xr r e1 roi had 2 months previously tried to charter a
No. 620 of Secret E., March 1899, N03. 581-691, . . r J • i , i n
steamer to convey a considerable force to
Koweit, but that the project had failed for want of sufficient money. They had
now gradually increased their forces at Basrah. Colonel Meade feared that
they would make an attempt against Koweit again, and therefore asked for the
presence of a strong naval force with instructions to forbid an attack on Koweit. No. 623.
77. In the circumstances His Excellency the Viceroy asked the Secretary of
State by telegram whether he might authorize naval force in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
in theevent of such an attack. The Secretary of State answered in the affirma
tive, and asked that a report might be called for from the Naval Officer