'Administration Reports 1925-1930' [‎160r] (324/418)

55
a similar request was o'penly made to the ShaiMh. by a Persian firm which has its
chief office in Mohammerah, the Ruler needless to say refused permission, after
the dangers of so doing had been pointed out to him.
On the 26th July the Special Service Officer finally left Kuwait taking with
him his field wireless set.
In August His Excellency the Shaikh was asked his views as to the intro
duction of Passports for Kuwait. After careful consideration he replied saying
he preferred, at any rate for the present, not to start such an innovation, as
it mi 0 'ht end in many of his own subjects claiming foreign nationality. Certi
ficates of Identity continue therefore to be issued by this Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. to persons
desirino- to travel. Applicants in every case bringing a letter from the Ruler s
Secretary, permitting their departure. The checking of persons arriving at
Kuwait is still not satisfactory- It is hoped to improve matters m this direc
tion during 1930.
Condition of m Country and the Rebe Neji. —Early m January the
situation in Nejd was extremely obscure, and various rumours diltered so mucli
that it became difficult to sift the truth from the false. There could be little
doubt however that the relations between Bin Saud and the Akhwan leaders
were becoming more and more strained, and his task of preventing them from
attacking the 'Iraq Desert Posts was becoming harder from day to day. Bm
Saud had even found it necessary to issue orders for Jubail, Qatif, etc., to bo
fortified and provisioned, as a precaution. On the other hand there were in
dications that considerable ill-feeling existed between ibn Humaid and ibn
Rubai'an the two most powerful Shaikhs of the great Ataibah tribe, which Bin
Saud could be trusted to take the fullest advantage of.
On January 21st Dhaidan ibn Hathlain the clever old Shaikh of the Ajman
moved up into Kuwait with a mixed force ma theBatm with the intention m
; it Mnntnfin ^hpcD tribes ramped in the Northern portion of Kuwait.
it!? £
± m " aai rs-' ,=?
United States Minister in China, met a portion of the raiding party, with the
result that their car was fired on and Mr. Bilkert was killed-
Farlv in February it was learned that Faisal al-Duwish had gone to mediate
his standard, 1 and awaited the coming of ibn Hathlain, al-Fuqm, and others to join
Thp uncertainty of events about this time and the fear that something bi^
everywhere Ucamllsliul some sheep were stolen from
tlie lot ' and recovered
the stolen animals. of the oountry tlie KuW ait-Basrah road
was closed for a montl ^at this^ieriod, and mails were sent and received by sea.
On the 3rd March 'oad^lt
firing being heard a short dista • ^ ^ Ban i Malik, an 'Iraq shepherd
transpired that an encampmen neighbourhood of Basrah and Zubair, had
tribe whose summer range is in the ne ^f b f x U ^ 0 dr ed Mutair raiders under ibn
heen attacked at dawn by a P ar > m nl viikh barely seven miles from Kuwait.
Shuqair and al-Fuqm near Jalib ^Shuyukh^b^^^s ^ ^ ^ endeavo d
where they were encamned. i , ■ ^ a thousand sheep and a few donkevs
to retire on Kuwait. With the pception ot a tMusa ^ ^ slieep and c50
the Bani Malik lost all their animals to t be i ons ings. The unfortunate
donkeys. Thirty of f a^hes ^ - The losg of the raiders
waa equal J if LTmore tlan that of the shepherds, and in the Royal Air Force