Skip to item: of 27
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

'Memorandum respecting Koweit' [‎144v] (4/27)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 file (11 folios). It was created in 30 Oct 1901. It was written in English. 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.

Apply page layout

4
India, stating that " they are not disposed to
interfere more than necessary for maintenance of
general peace of Persian Guif, or to grant pro
tection to Koweit."
But this declaration was afterwards modified.
The Resident at Bushire was of opinion that Inclosure 4 in
Koweit was, in itself,desirable as a harbour; that VovembeMS
its importance in relation to a possible railway No. 23.
from Port Said was considerable; while the ex
tension of the pax Britannica to Koweit, as to
Bahrein and the Trucial Chiefs of the southern
shore, would further the ends of civilization by
checking the growth of piracy and the Slave
Trade. The Sheikh, though he had procured his
title by a double murder, appeared to British
officers in other respects a popular and enlightened
Ruler. It was urged (1) that the responsibility
of protection would be amply repaid ; (2) that the
Sheikh's position was precarious. If our help
were refused, he would make terms with Turkey
or seek protection elsewhere, in either case
changing the status quo to our disadvantage.
Sir N. O'Conor was consulted, but before any Sir N O'Conor.
reply was received from him 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. Decentber^r 61 '
were informed as follows :— 18 .98.
44 If the Government of India is of opinion that the
Protectorate can be undertaken without difficulty, or
any inconvenient extension of the duties of police
already exercised in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Lord Salisbury
would approve of such a step, and would be prepared
to acquiesce in the establishment of such Protectorate,
and to support it diplomatically in case the Porte should
raise counter-claims."
Sir N. O'Conor's observations were shortly
afterwards received. While supporting generally
the idea of a British Protectorate he pointed out
that caution was necessary. A Minute existed
recording a conversation, in 1889, between
Sir A. Sandison, Oriental Secretary to Her
Majesty's Embassy, Constantinople, and the
Grand Vizier, which implied a recognition of
Turkish sovereignty as far as El Katif, and
his Excellency was of opinion that any formal
assertion of British Protectorate would pro
duce very serious diplomatic complications. He
thought, however, that "acts of piracy and
of regular Traffic in Slaves would justify the
interference of the Indian Government and
afford ground for coming to a direct and special
arrangement with the Sheikh, which need not

About this item

Content

This is a confidential memorandum, printed for the use of the Foreign Office on 30 October 1901, and authored by Robert Venables Vernon Harcourt, dated 29 Oct 1901. The memorandum primarily focuses on the position of Koweit [Kuwait] in regards to Turkey (Ottoman Empire) from 1871 onwards. In the left and righ hand margins there are references to various correpondence, reports and agreements between 1878 and 1901, as well as giving subject headings, which include: 'Difficulties with Turkey', 'German railway scheme', 'Dispute between Koweit and Nejd [Najd]', 'Defences of Koweit', 'Use of Turkish flag in Koweit', and 'Proposal to make Koweit a port of call for Mail-steamers'. Folios 150 to 151 include extracts of correspondence from Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and Anthopoulo Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , dated 11 September 1901, and Admiral Sir Day Hort Bosanquet, Commander-in-chief, East Indies, to Admiralty, dated 31 August and 4 October 1901. There is an Annex between folios 152 and 153, which includes a translated agreement ('Arabic bond') with the Sheikh of Kuwait, Mubārak bin Ṣabāḥ Āl Ṣabāḥ, dated 23 January 1899, signed by Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm John Meade, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. at Bushire, and witnessed by E Wickham Hore, Captain of the Indian Medical Service (IMS), John Calcott Gaskin, and Muhammad Rahim bin Abdul Nebi Saffer [Muḥammad Raḥim bin ‘Abd al-Nabī Ṣafar], Native Agent Non-British agents affiliated with the British Government. at Bahrain and friend of the Sheikh of Kuwait; and a translation of an Arabic letter from Meade to the Sheikh of Kuwait, dated 23 January 1901.

Extent and format
1 file (11 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation for this description commences at folio 143, and terminates at folio 153, since it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in the top right-hand corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. These numbers are written in pencil, but are not circled.

Pagination: This section of the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

'Memorandum respecting Koweit' [‎144v] (4/27), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B133, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023644485.0x000005> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023644485.0x000005">'Memorandum respecting Koweit' [&lrm;144v] (4/27)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023644485.0x000005">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x000174/IOR_L_PS_18_B133_0004.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x000174/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image