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'Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part I. Historical and Political Materials. Précis of Koweit Affairs, 1896-1904' [‎10v] (20/128)

The record is made up of 1 volume (64 folios). It was created in 1904. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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8
come in their boats. The province of Koweit which depends npon ^ G "mnor of this to™,
is inhabited bv Nomands wbo are shepherds, and who can supply 10,00,000 warriors. Ihe people
oVthe town possess Martini rifles, but those o£ the interior, old-fash,oned weapons and nfles.
The governing family's name is Sabah, which is a branch of the family Entbe which reigns at
Bahrein and of which the reigning jbranch is named Khalifa, ihe title ot the^ family m
question is Cheikh. The country of Koweit, although enUrely independent, figures tn the maps
as being a part of the Ottoman Empire. The reigning family possesses large landed property at
Bussorah. and espeaally at Fao^htch belongs to them ; that ts the reason why ^ ^nHz
accept their investiture being sanctioned by the Sultan, who grants them the rank of KaimaJcait
with the title of Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , of which the Cheikh does not deign to make use.
The reigning family was composed of four brothers, one of whom named Abdullah died
some time ago. His brother Mahomed succeeded him in the Government of Koweit, and,
according to custom, his juniors, Jarrah and Moabarak assisted him in the exermse of his
powers. Lately, the two brother MaWned and Jerrah have been assays,nated. The palace
received the information that Mubarak, after a month's residence at Bush,re, kept by Her
Maiestv's Consul, Mr. Wilson, on his return killed his brothers because they objected to an
alliance with the Emir Mahomed Ibn Rashid/Cheikh of Chamar and suzerain oi Nejd and
with JasimThany, Sheikh of the tribes round Katar (town in the possession of the lurks,
and depending on the Mutessarifat of Lahasa of Nejd, according to the Turks), and who
eome time ago massacred the Turkish garrison of La Hasa and maintains his independence since.
According to the opinion of the palace, this plan of alliance was suggested to Mubarak
by the English Resident of Bushire, and that the object of such an alliance would be an Arabic
confederation in which the principality of Bahrein would be comprised^
the palace, unwilling under the present circumstances to cause a new complication to
arise decided to ignore the cas3 of the assasination, and intends to grant to Mubarak the usual
investiture, and orders to the effect have been despatched to the Governor-General of Bussorah,
intructing him to avoid all shedding of blood.
20. A copy of their memorandum was forwarded to the Government of
India and sent by them to Colonel Wilson 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. , Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , for
report, and this was what he had to say in
No. 186 of proceedings cited. ^ re p 0r ^ dated 3rd October 1896.
" The story as gathered by Mr. Stavrides is, as regards this 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. , not only absolutely
without foundation, 1)ut ludicrously improbable and incongruous on the face of it.
It is true according to my communication, that Mubarak of the ruling Sheikh family of
Koweit, some time ago murdered his two brothers, and I am quite prepared to believe that the
" Palace" [i. e., the Porte) decided to ignore the case of the assassination ? and has extended
its countenance and support to the fratricide.
For the rest, neither I nor any Member of this 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. has ever seen or held com
munication with Mubaraks, nor am I aware of any visit of his to Bushire. Enquiry at the
Turkish Vice-Consulate at Bushire has elicited that Mubarak has not visited Bushire for
the last three or four years at least, and I have no knowledge of any previous visit. There
is no information whatever in this 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. of any proposed alliance of the Koweit Sheikhs,
Ibn Rashid and Jasim bin Thani."
21. In July the" Sphinx'' with Commander Baker on board, visited Koweit.
His report confirms the usurpation of
secret e , June 1897, Noa. 1—2. Mubarak, but he thought that it was done
with the concurrence of the people. " No notice" he writes " was at all
taken of the proceedings by the Resident, and it was quite apparent that the
^presence of an English Man-of-war frightened, him considerably. Koweit is
nominally an independent Arab territory, hut in reality the Turks exercise
great influence over it; more especially since the new Chief acceded to power,
he finds it necessary to pUy into their hands. But he would not come off to
the ship. I also noticed that he flew the Turkish flag and taxed him with
it, but could not get any satisfactory answer from him. We have no Political
Agent (native) here, as we have at all the other large Arab towns."
III.—(1) Proposed Turiksh Quarantine station at Koweit and other
places in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . ^2) Views of the Government of India
and the 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. , 1897.
21- A.—Early in the year 1897 proposals were made by the Constantinople
Secret i, March 1897, Nos. 87-126. Sanitary Board for establishing of Quaran-
Secret a., april 1897, so. s. tineStations on the Arabian coast of the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , one of which was to be at Koweit and another at Bahrein. Lord
Elgin, who was consulted by the Secretary of State, saw no objection to Turkish
Quarantine at Koweit, but considered Turkish intervention at other places quite
jn admissible.

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Content

The volume, stamped ‘Secret’ on the front cover and frontispiece, is part 1 (historical and political materials) of a précis of Kuwait (spelt Koweit throughout) affairs for the years 1896-1904. It was prepared by Jerome Antony Saldanha of the Bombay Provincial Civil Service, and published in 1904 by the Government of India Foreign Department, Simla, India.

The volume includes a preface (folio 4), list of contents (folio 5) and list of appendices (folio 6). The sections listed in the contents run as follows:

  • I: Brief History of Koweit from circa 1716 to 1896 A.D.;
  • II: Murder of Mahomed bin Subah [Muḥammad bin Ṣabāḥ] and his brother Jarrah [Jarrāḥ bin Ṣabāḥ] by Mubarak [Mubārak] and Mubarak’s succession, 1896;
  • III: (1) Proposed Turkish Quarantine at Koweit, (2) views of the Government of India and 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. ;
  • IV: Haripasa Piracy case. Warning to Sheikh of Koweit. Question of Protectorate over Koweit raised - 1895-1896;
  • V: Threatened attack of Sheikhs Jasim bin Thani [Jāsim bin Muḥammad Āl Thānī] and Yusuf bin Ibrahim [Yūsuf bin Ibrāhīm] on Koweit. Question of Protectorate over Koweit discussed 1897-98;
  • VI: (1) Movements of Turkish troops towards Koweit, (2) Russian intrigues, (3) Question of Protectorate over Koweit further discussed;
  • VII: Proposed British Protectorate over Koweit. Agreement with the Sheikh of Koweit, December 1898 - May 1899;
  • VIII: Porte's complaints against British proceedings at Koweit as infrigement of quarantine regulations, May 1899;
  • IX: (1) Threatened attack on Koweit by the Turks, (2) Defence of Koweit, February - March 1899;
  • X: (1) Question of status of the Sheikh of Koweit, (2) Turkish activity in the neighbourhood, (3) Imposition of customs duty by Sheikh, March - June 1899;
  • XI: Turkish attempts to exercise soverign rights on Koweit, by appointing harbour master and opening a custom house. A forward Turkish policy advocated. The British Government's protest. July - September 1899;
  • XII: Sheikh Mubarak's diffidence in the British and desire of Persian protection. September - October 1899;
  • XIII: Appointment of Muhsin [Muḥsin] Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. as Vasli of Basrah. Change of policy inaugurated. Turkish Decoration for Sheikh Mubarak 1899;
  • XIV: Visit of the German Railway Commission to Koweit and their scheme to make Katham their Railway's Terminus, January 1900;
  • XV: Proposal to make Koweit a Port of call for Mail steamers July 1900 - June 1901;
  • XVI: Threatened hostilities between the Sheikh of Koweit and Amir of Nejd [Najd];
  • XVII: Renewal of hostilities between the Sheikh of Koweit and the Amir of Nejd , December 1900 - May 1901;
  • XVIII: (1) Ibn Rashid [Ibn Rasīd] seeks British protection, (2) Sheikh Mubarak asks for assumption of permanent British protectorate over Koweit, May - June 1901;
  • XIX: (1) Threatened attack on Koweit by Amir of Nejd and the Turks, (2) Measures for defence of Koweit, (3) Attempt to settle difference between the Sheikh and Amir amicably, July - October 1901;
  • XX: Question of defence of Koweit by sea and land, 1899-1901;
  • XXI: Question of discontinuance of the use of the Turkish flag at Koweit, August - September 1901;
  • XXII: Attempt to take the Sheikh of Koweit to Constantinople, November and December 1901;
  • XXIII: Alarm at Koweit and Landing of British Guns, December 1901 - January 1902;
  • XXIV: Prohibition of exports to Koweit from Turkish territory and movements of the Amir of Nejd, December 1901 - January 1902;
  • XXV: Dispute about the Fao [al-Fāw] Estates, December 1901 - January 1902;
  • XXVI: Occupation of Um Kasr [Umm Qaṣr], Bubyan [Būbīyān] Island and Subbiyah [al-Ṣubīyah] by the Turks, January - March 1902;
  • XXVII: Complaints against the proceedings of the British Officer and the Sheikh of Koweit, March 1902;
  • XXVIII: Sheikh Mubarak's offers of reconciliation with the Porte, March 1902;
  • XXIX: Arrest of agent of Sheikh Mubarak at Basrah and his imprisonment, May - December 1902;
  • XXX: Further movements of Ibn Rashid (2) Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal bin Sa‘ūd] in the field again, and captures Riadh [Riyadh], January, November 1902;
  • XXXI: (1) Fear of Renewal of hostilities between Ibn Rashid and Sheikh Mubarak, (2) The Sheikh warned not to involved himself in difficulties with Nejd or the Turks, (3) Application of the Sheikh for guns, August - October 1902;
  • XXXII: Threatened attack on Koweit from Mubarak's nephews and Sheikh Yusuf-el-Ibrahim. Lapwing case. September 1902 - January 1903;
  • XXXIII: Ibn Rashid near Koweit and Sheikh Mubarak's movements, December 1902 - February 1903;
  • XXXIV: Fao Estates' dispute, February 1903-04;
  • XXXV: Importance of Khor Abdulla [Khawr ‘Abdullāh] as a future Railway terminus, etc. 1904;
  • XXXVI: Recent movements of Ibn Rashid, January 1903 - March 1904;
  • XXXVII: Montefik Arabs [al-Muntafiq] seek Russian protection, (2) Revolt of Sadun [Sa‘dūn] Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. ;
  • XXXVIII: Advance of a loan made to Sheikh Mubarak, March - May 1904;
  • XXXIX: Opening of a British post office at Koweit, 1901-1904;
  • XL: Appointment of British Agent at Koweit. June 1899 - August 1903;
  • XLI: (1) Turkish aid to Ibn Rashid, (2) Proposed British protest, (3) Appointment of 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. at Koweit, April - October 1904.

The Appendices are as follows:

Extent and format
1 volume (64 folios)
Arrangement

The volume is arranged divided into forty one (identified by Roman numerals), which are followed by ten appendices (lettered A to J). There are paragraph numbers that are continuous throughout the whole volume, beginning on 1 at the start of the first section, and ending on 351 in the final section. A contents page and list of appendices are at the front of the volume (folios 5-6).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

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English in Latin script
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'Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part I. Historical and Political Materials. Précis of Koweit Affairs, 1896-1904' [‎10v] (20/128), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C239, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023515249.0x000016> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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