'File 53/11 VIII (D 98) Date Gardens of Shaikhs of Kuwait and Mohammerah' [153r] (338/576)
The record is made up of 1 volume (286 folios). It was created in 30 Sep 1933-30 May 1934. It was written in English, Arabic and Turkish. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
'O
SncloBure in Bagdad Despatch No. 807 of 22. 12* 33.
Note on "Law Governing the Rights and Duties of
Cultivators No. 28 of 1933".
There Is no doubt that the non-success of a
great many new agricultural ventures In recent years has
been due^ In part, to the difficulties experienced by
the "farm owner" in establishing control over the "Lazmah"
holders and their
fellaheen
Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour.
.
For better or worse, the greater part of these
newcomers into agriculture have been active politicians,
and it was inevitable that they should seek some legal
remedy for their troubles.
They have been granted very extensive tracts of
valuable government land, not only without payment, but also
with revenue privileges, provided only that they undertook
to exploit such lands. The terms "development and
exploitation" have been universally interpreted as meaning
only, the erection of a pump and engine for irrigation
purposes, and a subsequent attempt to farm the lands using
the "Laziuah" holder and his
fellaheen
Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour.
as the basis of their
labour supply, and following the customary share-system of
farming, as almost universally practised by existing "Tapu*
holders.
Naturally friction followed, for the "Lazmah"
holders regarded the new pump-owner as a mere outsider who
supplied water against payment (by crop-share), and
themselves as the proprietors of the land and as the sole
agricultural authority.
Conversely
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence between British officials regarding date gardens in southern Iraq owned by the rulers of Mohammerah and Kuwait. The correspondence discusses changes in legislation proposed by the Government of Iraq regarding the collection of land rent and land produce duties, and the impact of these changes to the ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ.
In particular, the correspondence concerns the Government of Iraq's decision to end the immunity from taxation (on the gardens) that had been granted to the former ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Mubārak Āl Ṣabāḥ and the Shaikh of Mohammerah, Khaz‘al bin Jābir al-Ka‘bī by the British Government in return for their military support against the Ottoman Empire in World War 1.
The file contains details regarding a legal case brought against Shaikh Aḥmad by members of the Al Zuhair family regarding the ownership of some of his land holdings in Iraq.
Correspondence in the file states that the problems between Shaikh Aḥmad and fellaheen Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. (agricultural workers) on his land - as described in detail in IOR/R/15/1/489 - had been resolved.
The file contains correspondence regarding Jacob Gabriel, the Armenian legal representative of Shaikh Ahmad (ff. 5-13) as well as minutes from two meetings held at the Foreign Office with representatives from 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. , the Treasury, the Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Foreign Office (ff.167-183 & ff. 187-200).
The file also contains the following:
- An English translation of an article which appeared in the Iraqi newspaper Al Ahali in December 1933. The article accuses the Al Sabah family of 'meddling' with fellaheen Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. in order to preserve control over their lands in Iraq (f.111).
- A copy (in Arabic) of Iraq's Land Laws (ff. 120-130).
- Detailed figures concerning the produce of Shaikh Aḥmad's lands and the amount of tax and export duties paid on them (ff. 214-227).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (286 folios)
- Arrangement
File is arranged in chronological order, from earliest at beginning of the file to most recent at end.
- Physical characteristics
Condition: Formerly a bound correspondence volume, the file's sheets have been unbound and are now loose.
Foliation: The volume is foliated from the front cover to the inside back cover, using uncircled pencil numbers in the top-right corner of each recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. .
The following foliation anomalies occur: 1a-1e, 27a, 140a-140f, 142a, 146a, 237a.
- Written in
- English, Arabic and Turkish in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/490
- Title
- 'File 53/11 VIII (D 98) Date Gardens of Shaikhs of Kuwait and Mohammerah'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 1ar:1ev, 2r:5v, 7v:9v, 11v:14v, 15v:18v, 19v:27v, 27ar:27av, 28r:35v, 36v:37v, 41v, 44v:120r, 131r:140v, 140ar:140av, 141r:142v, 142ar:142av, 143v:146v, 146ar:146av, 147r:197v, 199v:237v, 237ar:237av, 238r:270v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence