'Administration Reports of the Persian Gulf, 1945 [-1946]' [‎53r] (118/414)

(e) ^ Shaikh. Abdullah al Ahmad, who has increased if possible
in adiposity, wheeziness, and geniality, remained in charge of the
Arsenal - a suitable post as it does not require a high decree of
mobility.
(f) Shaikh Subah as Salim remained Chief of Police,
(g) Shaikh Mubarak al Hamad al Mubarak remained in charge of
the Customs.
(h) Shaikh Mohammad al Ahmed continued to live in Basrah and
to manage His Highness T property in T Iraq, but the even tenor of
his existence was broken by an affray with the T Iraq Customs police
in which he suffered a bullet through the neck (which should have
killed him) and the loss of his right thumb.
(i) Shaikh Fahad as Salim's not inconsiderable talents remain
ostensibly unemployed but it is difficult to estimate the extent
to which he participated in the administration of the departments
officially entrusted to his brother Abdulla.
^(j) ^ Shaikh Salim al Hamud, an uncle of His Highness and the
senior living member of the Subah family, succumbed to tuberculosis
in a sanatorium at Beyrouth. Until the last moment it was doubt
ful whether tuberculosis or diabetes would have the honour t)f carry
ing him off. He leaves two sons: a boy of 18^who is accounted
demented by reason of his ordinate predilection for the bottle and
the opposite sex, and an infant who has been adopted by shaikh
Abdullah Mubarak.
III. 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 RELATIONS ./ITH THE SHAIKH .
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 relations with the Shaikh remained
cordial, although in warmth they varied inversely with the amount
of friction generated by efforts to curtail the smuggling propen
sities of Kuwaitis in the interests of war-time trade control.
His Highness renewed the Civil Air Agreement for a further period
of 3 years and was co-operation itself in his dealings with the
R.A.F. Early in the year he offered them the use of the Quarant
ine buildings at Shuwaikh rent free, as a rest-house; an offer
which was gratefully accepted although itjmay conceivably have been
not unconnected with a desire on the part of the Shaikh to evade
the obligation to maintain a quarantine station.
IV - LOCAL I BEHESTS .
■
(a) Gen eral
In the absence of a published budget the administration of the
State remains something of a mystery. It is however clear that
the Consultative Assembly born with so many pangs in 1933 has
passed away, for it held no meetings during the year. "Progress
ive" elements appear to have been too pre-occupied with their own
progress in profiteering to have had time for politics.
Shaikh Ahmed has retained control of the political destinies of
the State and of the not inconsiderable income from the family
properties in T Iraq, and continues to supervise if not to control
the activities of the energetic municipality. Other State income,
including apparently the oil royalties, (which amounted to approx
imately £.5,000 during the year and will probably amount to over
£.340,000 during 1946) was collected by the Revenue Department
under the control of Shaikh Abdullah Salim.
The Revenue Department paid the following approximate monthly
salaries:-
His Highness
Rs.
4,000.
Shaikh Abdulla Salim
Rs.
4,000.
Shaikh Abdulla Mubarak
Rs.
1,500.
Shaikh Fahad as Salim
Rs.
1,500.
ShaiKh Abdulla al Jabir
Rs.
1,100.