'Koweit' [‎4r] (7/12)

1900.
7
On the 20tli March Sir N. O'Conor was authorised to inform the Turkish Political,
Government and the German Ambassador how matters stood between the 1856 / 1900 -
British Government and the Sheikh.
In his Despatch No. 130 of the 10th April, Sir N. O'Conor reported a 2027/1900.
conversation he had had with Tewfik Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. on the 9th April regarding the
visit of the German Commission to Koweit, in which he again stated that Her
Majesty's Government would not regard with indifference any action which
would alter the existing state of things or give to another Power special rights
or privileges in Koweit. Tewfik Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. evinced no desire to discuss ^the
matter, and Sir Nicholas concluded that the Ottoman Government had
already a fairly correct knowledge of our agreement with the Sheikh.
On the same day Sir N. O'Conor informed the German Ambassador that
Her Majesty's Government had an agreement with the Sheikh of Koweit,
which, while leaving the status quo unimpaired, prevented the Sheikh from
alienating his territories without the consent of the British Government.
Baron von Marschall, wno betrayed some dissatisfaction at this statement,
said that he supposed such an agreement would not prevent the construction
ot the railway, but that he was quite alive to the disadvantages of alienating
British capital. Sir Nicholas replied that he thought there would be no
•difficulty in reconciling our interests with those of the llailway Company,
and referred to negotiations between the Anatolian llailway and the Euphrates,
Tigris and British India Companies.
Sir N. O'Conor's action was approved in Lord Salisbury's Despatch No. 89,
of the 24th April.
On the 21st April a report (dated 29th March 1900) was received from iooo
the Vice-Consul at Bahrein that the Anatolian Railway Company was already
making preparations for the construction of a pier at Koweit, and this
report received some confirmation from a naval report, dated 26th March, 91 .„
to the ellect that the Sheikh had stated that the Germans had been oruo mi™
surveying. •
Sir Is. O Conor was not prepared to address the Porte upon these rumours, orrr iqno
which he considered improbable, but he suggested the appointment of a '
British secret agent at Koweit to keep a watch upon the Sheikh and secure
his fidelity. The rumours were ultimately reported not to have been 592/1900
confirmed. (Viceroys telegram, 7th June.) The reports, however, of
German activity were such as to cause special instructions to be proposed
tor ^the guidance o! Her Majesty's ships in the event of collisions between oioQ/iorvi
the Germans and the Arabs. 123/190 .
W ith regard to the proposal to send a secret agent to Koweit, the India India office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors.
Oflice were ot opinion that, before this step should be taken, it would be to Foreign
advisable to decide what attitude Her Majesty's Government should adopt in Office, dated
case the lurkish and German Governments combined in pressing for the ^ a y
cession of a site for the railway terminus at Koweit. They further suggested 19 ) 00 '.
that it would be well to explain the position more precisely to the Porte and io^iooo)
to consider whether some arrangement might not be arrived at with the
German Government, under which the construction of the railway works
at Koweit might be permitted, subject to a full reservation of the political
position acquired by Her Majesty s Government under the agreement. The
proposal to send a secret agent was then dropped.
At the end of May a proposal was made on behalf of the British India Steam
Navigation Company that a weekly service of steamers to Koweit should be
arranged. The Foreign Office approved; and on the 3rd July Mr. Lyle, a re
presentative ot the Company, proceeded to Koweit, and had an interview with
the Sheikh, who agreed to the scheme, provided no quarantine difficulties were
involved. However, in the middle of August the Sheikh wrote to Mr. Lyle o'Cmlur
notiiying his withdrawal Irom the scheme, probably owing to pressure put No. 291,'
upon him by Syed Ahmed, an influential member of the family of the Nakib ( l a ted 15th
of Busrah. 1 Aug. 1900.
In the meantime a move of importance had been made at Berlin, when on (Political,
the 15th June Sir h\ Lascelles had mentioned the Koweit ouestion to Count 2324 / 190 0)
Bulow (much in the same terms as Sir N. O'Conor had done to Baron 2214/1900.
Marschall but admitting the " technical" supremacy of the Porte), and
had requested that Her Majesty's Government might be furnished with early
information if the idea of the Koweit terminus was to be entertained. Count