‘Memorandum by the Political Department, India Office, on treaties and agreements between the British Government and the various rulers and chiefs in Arabia and on the Persian Gulf.’ [‎1v] (2/6)

been in the hands of His Majesty's Government for several years, and it does
not seem that this Oliice is required to express an opinion on the vexed
question whether and how far the two treaties are to be regarded as still in
force. The successive rulers in Asia in the post-war period cannot be said
to have benefited much by the existence of the treaties. Of late, in the
course of the Imam-ldrisi conflict and of the conversations with the Italian
Government, the Colonial Office have at times regarded the 1915 Treaty as
no longer operative, and have taken as limited a view as possible of the
obligations assumed under the later treaty. But at other times they have
seemed to consider the 1915 Treaty as still in force. British Red Sea policy
has to some extent changed in outlook since the war-time period, in so far
as commitments to Arab rulers are concerned. The circumstances now are
different, when the Idrisi has accepted the overlordehip of Ibn Sand, while
his position and influence are greatly diminished since 1917. It is for Mis
Majesty's Government to say whether they consider it necessary and desirable
that one or both Idrisi treaties should be regarded (with the attendant
obligations) as still in force, in order to ensure that no foreign Power
establishes itself on the Farsan Islands—the essential object which the
treaties were intended to secure, and which to some small extent is separately
secured by the recent conversations with the Italian Government.
J. P. Gibson.
21st July 1927.
Precis of the Treaties and Engagements between the British
Government and the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast of the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
KOWEIT.
p. 2585 26. (a) Agreement dated 2?>rd Jannari/ 1899.—The Sheikh pledged himself
and his heirs and successors not to receive the Agent or Representative of
any Power or Government at Koweit . . . without the previous sanction of
the British Government . . . and not to cede, sell, lease or mortgage or give
for occupation or for any other purpose any portion of his territory to the
Government or subjects of any other Power, without the previous consent
of His Majesty's Government.
(h) Letter from Lieut.-Colonel Meade, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian
Gulf, to the Sheikh of Koweit, dated 23rd January 1899, accompanying (a).
The Sheikh was formally assured "of the good offices of the
British Government towards you, your heirs and successors as long
as vou, your heirs and successors scrupulously and faithfully observe
the conditions of the said bond (i.e. the agreement above)."'
p. 4328/11. Note .—In 1911 the text of the Agreenu-nt of 1899 was communicated
to the Turkish Government. The text of Colonel Meade's accompanying
letter was not similarly communicated ; but the Turkish Government was
told in Sir E. Grey's covering note that "His Majesty's Government have
informed the Sheikh of Koweit that so long as he and his heirs and
successors act up to their obligations under the Agreement, His Majesty's
Government undertake to support them and accord them their good offices.
His Majesty's Government reserve to themselves the right to interpret that
term at, their discretion." As to the point to which His Majesty's Government
were in fact prepared to go. on occasion, in interpreting the term, reference
is invited to Sir A. Hirtzel's note of 27th October 1911, and to the events
p 1446 11 of 1901 and 1902 alluded to there, when aggression by land by the Turks
and later by Ibn Rashid was apprehended.
(c) Agreement of the Sheikh of Koweit, dated 2ith May 1900, to prohibit
the importation of arms into, and their exportation from, Koweit.
(d) Postal Agreement, dated 2Sth Fehruary 1904.
(e) Secret Agreement, dated loth October 1907, for the lease of the Bunder
Shiceikh i ore shore.
In the fifth article of the two documents constituting the agreement
the Sheikh reaffirmed his pledge not to cede, sell &c. any Koweit territory