'File 18/68 I (D 114) Kuwait Order in Council' [‎36r] (86/534)

a^ble to trace is an Algerian mendicant. Thrrc iray, howevei
"be a few others of whom I am unaware, as natives of French
jomaliland occasionally find their way to Kv.r&.lt as members
of the crews of sailing vessels,
Italian sub.iects .- There are none resident at present, "but
sailors from Eritrea occasionally visit Kuwait.
upanish suldects .- I have never heard of any visiting Kuwait
"but an occasional pilgrim or mendicant from Spanish lorroco
may possibly do so,
4. I have sounded the Dhaikh of Kuwait and am satisfied
that he would raise no objection to Kis Majesty's Government
exercising jurisdiction over the ahove classes, in addition,
of course,to British subjects, and also to Kuwait subjects
registered as "being in the permanent service of British
subjects.
5. Unless strong pressure wore brought to bear upon him,
he would not agree to British jurisdiction being exercised
over the subjects of non-Ghristian Powers, with the except
ion of Japanese and Chinese. No subjects of either power are
resident in Kuwait, but steamers of both countries do visit
the territorial waters at rare intervals,
6. Of the subjects of non-Christian powers resident in
Kuwait who are not actual subjects of the Shaikh of Kuwait
the two most numerous classes are the Persians and the
Najdis. I estimate that there are at present about 10,^00
persons of Persian origin in Kuwait town; many of these,
however, have been settled here for two or three generations
and have presumably^-lost their Persian nationality. As there
is no form of registration it is impossible to say how many
actual Persian subjects there are; the number is probably
over 6,000, though I doubt if 5,000 could, or would take th<
trouble to, prove their nationality if the question were
raised. In addition to the Persians permanently and tempora
rily settled in Kuwait, a considerable number of Persian
sailing boats visit the port annually. It is still harder
to estimate the number of Najd subjects, as the great
majority of the inhabitants of Kuwait are of Najd origin,