'Administration Reports 1920-1924' [‎162r] (328/412)

PERSIAN GULF The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. POLITICAL 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. , 1923.
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proper accounts to be kept, and tlie proceeds of all export duty, except that on
goods destined for the Shaikh of Kuwait's own subjects or for 'Iraq, to be remit
ted to the Sultan of Najd half-yearly by Shaikh 'Abdullah.
When they understood that Shaikh 'Abdullah Salim, and not an outsider, was
to be Ibn Sa'ud's agent, the majority agreed and drew up a document embodying
these points. Shamlari-al-'Ali, however, objected and said that he did not agree .
Hamad -as-Saqar said that it was a matter of foreign policy which concerned
the Shaikh alone, and that they had no right to, interfere. One or two others
said the same, but.seventeen out of the twenty-one actually signed the document,
and Yusuf bin 'Isa at once sent it to Shaikh Ahmad.
Shaikh Ahmad was very much distressed at the whole affair, and for some
days it was uncertain what action he would take.
On the 8th July he sent for Shaikh Jabir-as-Subah, Hamad-al-Khalid,
Shamlan -al- 'Ali, Hamad-as-Saqar, Yusuf bin 'Isa, and Ahmad-al-Humaidhi and,
when they had assembled, asked them their views.
Shaikh Jabir-as-Subah said that he would never agree to the proposal in any
shape or form, as he was strongly opposed to letting Ibn Sa'ud get a footing
in the town. He could not understand why, after all- the lengthy negotiations on
the subject with Government which had taken place, and which Shaikh Ahmad
had broken off, he should ever even think of accepting this. He saw no harm in
his giving Ibn Sa'ud a fixed sum if he liked, but it would be wiser for him to
arrange matters through His Majesty's Government.
Hamad-al-Khalid advocated fixing a standard 4 per cent, export duty, and
remitting it all to Ibn Sa'ud through Shaikh 'Abdullah who alone should corres
pond with him. He suggested that they should try this for a year, and reserve
the right of discontinuing it if it did not prove satisfactory.
Hamad-as-Saqar said that they could not agree to hand over the Customs
to Ibn Sa'ud, but lie thought that the Shaikh might try and satisfy Ibn Sa'ud by
giving him a fixed sum of money—not Customs dues—and try to come to an arran.
gement with him for trade to be re-opened.
Shamlan-al-'AIi said that he thought on the whole it was better for the
town that trade should not be opened, as the Ikhwan were nasty people to deal
with, and Shaikh Ahmad could not keep them in order.
Shaikh Ahmad then asked them to think the matter over for a couple of days
when he would see them again.
On the 10th July the Shaikh summoned the same people and also Shaikh
'Abdullah. The same opinions were expressed and much acrimonious talk in
dulged in, but nothing was decided.
Shaikh Ahmad, after vacillating for two days more, finally wrote to Ibn
Sa'ud rejecting his terms. He said that he was willing to come to an agreement
if Ibn Sa 'ud wished it, but if so, he too had conditions to lay down.
On the 20th August Shaikh Ahmad received Ibn Sa'ud's reply ; he merely
said that if Shaikh Ahmad would like to put forward his conditions he would
consider them. He added however, that he could only agree to an arrangement
by which the land export dues were collected by a staff other than the Shaikh's
ordinary Customs officials, and that he could not accept less than 7 per cent, on
the value of all goods exported from Kuwait to Najd.
During a visit to Kuwait in early June the Hon'ble Lieutenant-Colonel
S. G. Knox, C.S.I., CI.E., Political Eesident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , had suggested
to Shaikh Ahmad that a solution to the difficulty might be found if an experienced
Brrtish Customs official were deputed to examine the question and advise as to
an arrangement which would be suitable to both parties. At the time the
Shaikh agreed that it would be very nice if such an agreement could be arrived
at. When, however, this proposal was formally made to him, and to Ibn Sa'ud,
in October, neither Ruler evinced the least desire to have'the dispute settled, and
so the proposal has been abandoned.
Kuwait Customs,
KUan Sahib "Abdul Latif has continued to manage the Shaikh's Customs
throughout the year, and the system has worked satisfactorily.
In April 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. discussed with the Shaikh the question of the
export duty of Ee. 1 per 11 tons levied by his Customs Department on stone and
/