'Persian Gulf précis. (Parts I and II)' [‎16v] (32/120)

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for Basrah on the 19th April, followed on the next day by Turkish troops. It
was generally believed that the Ottoman Government intended to make use of
force with a view to the deposition of Mubarak.
A Br^ish crunboat was ordered to Kuwait, and Sir N. O'Conor was
definitely authorised, in the event of hostilitifs being resumed, to warn the
Porte " to refrain from any action against the Shaikh in view of our arrange
ment with him."
But the astute policy of Mohsin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. again prevented matters from
coming to a head. The Turkish Eield-Marshal stopped short of Kuwait, and
the Vali himself, with a small escort, paid a friendly visit to the Shaikh.
He was unable to enforce proposals for the establishment of a Turkish garrison,
but Mubarak accompanied him to Eao, renewed his protestations to the
Sultan, and returned to Kuwait after a second act of apparently spontaneous
loyalty.
On the 28th May, the Amir of Nejd appealed for British protection, but,
after consultation with the Government of India, 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. expressed the
opinion, in which the Eoreign Office concurred, that it was not advisable to
sicret e ., October 1901, Nos. 184-315 (Ito . " incur the difficulties and embarrassments
Ko - 196, • which must ensue from the declaration of
a Protectorate over either the territories of the Chiefs of Kuwait or Nejd
The Viceroy, however, pointed out that some answer must be given to the
Chiefs, and Colonel Kemball again visited Kuwait with general instructions to
find some modus vivendi between the Shaikh and Amir, while maintaining our
hold upon the Shaikh.
Early in August he saw Mubarak, who suggested the Shaikh of Moham-
merah as intermediary, and Mr. Wratislaw, His Majesty's Consul, Basrah, was
subsequently authorised to assist communication between the latter and the
Agent of the Amir.
16. ^ Renewed rumours of Turkish concentration now again raised the
larger diplomatic question.
In July 1901, Sir F. Lascelles had had a conversation with Dr. Rosen, of
the German Foreign Office, upon the prospects of the Anatolian Railway and
the general situation.
An expression used by His Excellency describing the Shaikh as " techni
cally a subject of the Sultan, but enjoying a considerable amount of independ
ence," which on a previous occasion had passed without comment, now drew
from the German Representative an assertion that the Shaikh was "merelv a
subject of the Sultan."
It w as, therefore, pointed out to Sir F. Lascelles that the German Govern
ment might take advantage of his language to argue that the Sultan could
dispose of the territory of the Shaikh.
The view that the Shaikh was simply a subject of the Sultan was one that
His Majesty's Government were totally unable to accept, and His Excellency
was instructed to use language on the lines already used by Sir N. O'Conor in
April 1900.
Sir N. O'Conor was at the same time (August 1901) authorised to state if
occasion arose, that if Kuwait were threatened, His Majesty's Government would
use force to prevent attack.
Important communications (August-September 1901) followed at London
and Constantinople.
Considerable pressure was being exercised on the Ottoman Government
Secret E., October 1901, .Nos. 184-315. (Pro. Kos. 295 by the German and Russian Emhn<!«jific
29(!,2y<J) . and though a proposal of the Vali of
Basrah to use force against the Shaikh had been rejected by the Council of
Ministers, Tewfik Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. informed Sir N. O'Conor that Kuwait was regarded
as an integral part of the Ottoman Empire.
A warning given by the Commander of thePerseus " to the Captain of
a Turkish corvette off Kuwait that no troops would be permitted to land w
largely magnified in transmission and occasioned further protests. ^