'Persian Gulf précis. (Parts I and II)' [‎21r] (41/120)

37
When asked the reason of this, he replied that " it was flown by his
father and grandfather on such occa-
eudtosure E * June 1901 ' No8, n8-230 ' Pro - No -228, s i ons as a Muhammadan flag, and did
not indicate that they were under any
control or protection of the Turks."
On the 16th August 1901, the Government of India pressed a suggestion
of the Resident that the use of the flag should be discontinued, on the ground
that it was inconsistent to allow the Turkish flag to be flown while Turkish
troops were forbidden to land.
On the 28th, the Secretary of State enquired what flag it was proposed
that the Shaikh should fly, and pointed out that Lord Lansdowne was not
prepared to support any action which might seem inconsistent with the
assurance given by Sir N. O'Conor that His Majesty's Government would
respect the status quo.
The Besident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. recommended the use of the ordinary
red Arab flag, and intimated that the events of the past two-and-a-half years
had so disturbed the status quo that a determination of the status of Kuwait
could not be much longer postponed.
The proposal was vetoed* in September 1901 by His Majesty's Govern-
• Secret e., March 1902, N ob. 127-357. (Pro. No. ment, on the ground that the Shaikh
!r78 -) had accepted the post of Kaimakam,
that he held property in Turkish territory, that the Turkish flag had been
liown since 18/1, and that Lord Lansdowne did not consider that there was
anything in the events of the last two-and-a-half years to justify a departure
from the status quo, upon the maintenance of which His Majesty's Gov
ernment had always laid the greatest stress.
Pro. No. 437 iu Secret E., January 1907, Nos, 434- In December 190G the flag (JUestlOQ
438 - was again referred to the Secretary of
State.
No reply was received, but it will be observed that Lord Morley was not
Pro. No. 218 in Secret E., September 1907, Nos. 218- i^ fa\ OUr of endangering OUr position
244 - by pressing the proposal about the flag.
Sir N. O'Conor, however, considered that our agreement with Kuwait, although
not formally or officially acknowledged
ro. No. —3 m %hid. ^ the Ottoman Government, had
weight with them, and would influence their course of action under certain
ciroumstances. He also opined that " any exhibition of weakness on the part
of His Majesty's Government, or of a desire to shirk the consequences of our
agreement w T iih Kuwait, would materially aifect our position, which is a
political factor in the situation which * * * His Majesty's
Government ought not lightly to ignore." That the question of the flag
should be mooted by the Political Re-ident at an opportune moment, but not
impolitically pressed as w r e had "already marked our connection with Kuwait
by the appointment of a Resident, and * * * by the
establishment of a British Post Oihce, as well as sundry other ways".
In November 1910, in connection with the proposed treaty with the Katar
. Shaikh and the general Anglo-Turkish
e pa^cs i ante. situation in the Gulf, Colonel Cox
strongly recommendedf the elimination of the Turkish flag at Kuwait. His
Majesty's Government were informed accordingly, but this and other questions
became later merged into that of a general settlement regarding Kuwait in
connection with the Baghdad Railway question, which will be noted ou in its
proper place {vide below—paragraph 28).
26. Proposal to make Kuwait a port of call for mail
„ ^ , steamers. —In July 1900, an attempt
Secret E., October 1900, Nos. 175-281. ^ * 4. ur l 11 11 4-
was made to establish a weekly call at
Kuw ait of the British India Company's steamers. Mr. Lyle, an Agent of Messrs.
Gray, Mackenzie & Co., of Basrah, was well received by the Shaikh, who made,
however, the important stipulation that the call of steamers should not bring
with it the establishment ot quarantine. 1 he Turkish authorities, who were