'Persian Gulf précis. (Parts I and II)' [‎13v] (26/120)

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from Wabrah to Riyadh, These being the limits of the Kuwait Principality
its length fiom north-north-west to south-south-east is about ^190, and its
breadth from east-north-east to west-south-west about 160 miles."
2. The position of Kuwait, as regards Turkey, has given rise to consider
able discussion. In 1871, when Midhat
Secret E., March 1202, Nob . 127-857. Pro. No.289. p aslla a successful attempt to
reduce the Amir of Nejd to subjection, the Shaikh of Kuwait declared himself
on the Turkish side, assumed the Turkish flag and was instrumental in inducing
other Chiefs on the Arabian Littoral of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. to imitate his example.
For this action he received the title of Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , and was granted considerable
tracts of land in the neighbourhood of Fao. It would appear that about thht
time a Turkish Custom House was established at Kuwait, but it must have
been maintained for a short time only.
3. In 1876, Lieutenant-Colonel Prideaux, the Acting Resident at Bushire,
enumerated as the principal Turkish
Political a , May 1880, Nos. 18-53. ports on the Amb side of the Persian
Gulf, Kuwait, Katif, and Ojair. In May 1879, the Government of India
proposed " that from Basrah to Ojair" (which is situated on the coast consider
ably to the south of Kuwait) "the authority of the Porte should be recognised
as established on land, but that at sea the British Government should continue
to exercise some concurrent Protectorate, pursuing pirates, if necessary, into
Turkish waters and dealing with them wherever found, whether at sea or on
stiore, within certain limits through the Resident in the Gulf." This proposal
was discussed between the Toreign Office 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. and somewhat
modified.
4. In January 1879, Lord Salisbury authorised His Majesty's
Ambassador at Constantinople, to propose to the Porte an arrangement by
which British ships of war should be instructed to pursue their operations for
the repression of piracy, as far as possible, outside the territorial waters of the
Arabian mainland north of Odeid, but should also have authority to pursue
and capture piratical vessels within the 3-mile limit on that part of the coast,
wherever this might seem indispensible to the attainment of their object.
This arrangement, w r hich would by implication have admitted Turkish terri
torial sovereignty as far south as El Odeid (which is south of Ojair), was
mentioned by His Majesty's Ambassador to the Turkish Prime Minister and
Minister for Foreign Affairs, and submitted by them to the Council of Ministers,
but got no farther.
5. In August 1888, in consequence of a report that the Turkish Govern
ment contemplated an attack on Oman, Sir W. White was instructed that Her
Majesty's Government recognised Turkish jurisdiction on the coast as far as
El Katif, and were anxious that it should be effectively exercised within those
limits. Beyond that point Her Majesty's Government considered the Chiefs
to be independent. (El Katif, though situated to the north of Ojair and Odeid,
is still considerably south of Kuwait.)
6. Sir W. White, in reply, called attention to some recent practical asser
tions of Turkish jurisdiction south of El Katif, and represented that it would be
difficult to lay down that Katif was the hard and fast limit beyond which
Turkish influence should not extend. He did not, therefore, make any state
ment on this point in bis communication to the Porte protesting against any
aggression on Oman.
7. In April 1893, Sir C. Ford stated officially to the Turkish Minister for
Foreign Affairs that Her Maiestv's
secret e., july isys, nos. 124-231. Government admitted Turkish
ereignty from Basrah to El Katif.
8. Two memoranda prepared in 1896-97, at the time when the present
Shaikh Mubarak was making efforts to consolidate the position which he had
acquired by the murder of his brothers, show considerable divergence between
the views of British officials as to the actual status of Kuwait at that time.
The first, by Mr. Stavrides, Legal Adviser to the Embassy at Constantinople,
Secret E., November 1806, Nos. 181-187. Contains the following *.
" The country of Kuwait, although entirely independent, figures in the
maps as being a part of the Ottoman Empire; the reigning family possesses