'Persian Gulf précis. (Parts I and II)' [‎16r] (31/120)

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of Her Majesty's Government, the Eesident was also to be instructed " to
endeavour to warn the Amir that no attack on Kuwait would be permitted.
Preliminary measures were to be taken to protect the Shaikh, but no
force was to be landed without reference to the home authorities.
Shortly afterwards, however, reports were received that the crisis was over,
and at Colonel Kemball's own request his visit was postponed. It appeared
that Mubarak was able to hold his own, and the presence of a ship of war would
give him undue encouragement.
A despatch from the Consul at Basrah summed up the situation. A
conflict had been averted, though at the er st of a considerable increase of
Turkish prestige. The Vali, Mohsin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , having prevailed upon both sides
to keep the peace, had induced Mubarak to accompany him to Basrah, there
to make solemn professions of allegiance to the Sultan, and to promise to cease
"coquetting with foreign Powers." The result seemed to an independent
observer likely to 4< prove considerable blow to any pretensions of Mubarak to
being an independent Shaikh
A declaration of some importance was made about this time with regard to
the status of Kuwait. An Arab native of Kuwait, concerned in a case of
smuggling arms, had been claimed as a Turkish subject. The Resident was
informed by the Foreign Office, in answer to his enquiry whether he should
contest the claim, that, " although Her Majesty's Government had promised
their good offices to the Shaikh of Kuwait, the district has never been formally
placed under British protection. Her Majesty's Government cannot, therefore,
claim natives of Kuwait as British-protected persons
15. Late in December, Mubarak was reported to be making fresh prepara
tions for an attack on Nejd, and the second phase of the quarrel began.
In February 1901, Sir N. O'Conor expressed his opinion on the general
situation.
An outbreak of hostilities, His Excellency observed, would scarcely fail to
bring the Turks again into the field.
"Her Majesty'? Government may thus be placed in a difficult position,
and be forced either to raise an unpleasant question with the Ottoman Govern
ment, or to assert effective control over Kuwait, or else sacrifice the privileged
position acquired by the Convention of January 1899. It is hardly to be
expected that the Shaikh of Kuwait will respect an agreement from which he
derives no security and little material advantage".
His Excellency was strongly averse to doing anything which would
"encourage the Sultan's anxiety in regard to Biitish policy in the Persian
Gulf," and he suggested that the Amir of Nejd should be approached through
his Basrah Agent, while the Porte might be informed that Colonel Kemball
would use every effort to restrain the Shaikh.
On the 28th February 1901, the Viceroy telegraphed that the Resident's
^ v, advice to the Shaikh to keep quiet had
Pro. No. 66 in Secret E„ March 190), Nos. .68. ^ tendered to Mubarak
(though, as afterwards appeared not personally but through the news-agent)
and refused. The proposed visit, therefore, did not seem likely to have any
result, while "a second failure might even be embarrassing".
As in the previous November, hostilities were commenced without any
formal remonstrance on the part of the British authorities.
On the 29th March, the complete defeat of the Kuwait forces was reported.
secret e., June 1901, nos. 118-230. and it was rumoured that the Shaikh
Pro. Kob . 129, 129,137,148. | )a( ^ been killed in action. If the report
was true, it was obvious that Mubarak's death would seriously endanger the
Agreement of 1899, and a ship of war was placed under orders to proceed to
Kuwait with Colonel Kemball to ascertain the position. Colonel Kemball
visited Kuwait (17th April). He found the Shaikh alive, but was satisfied that
he had been severely defeated. Nothing was said to the Amir of Nejd.
Mohsin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. had remained comparatively inactive since his diplomatic
success of November, but the defeat of Mubarak now brought on Turkish
interference in a more acute form. A Turkish Field-Marshal left Baghdad