'File 53/7 D (D 7) Koweit [Kuwait] Affairs, January 1905 - December 1905' [‎28r] (62/366)

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No. 947, British Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. and Consulate General, dated Baghdad, 13th
JSovember (received 33rd December) 1904.
From— Major L. S. Newhiech , 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 Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. and His
Britannic Majesty s Consul General, Baghdad,
To—L. W. Dane , Esq., C.S.I., Secretary to the Government of India in the
roreign Department, Simla.
T„ j J ^ y f ^ h . ono » r to submit, for the iaformation of the Government of
0ll0 r- ? mf ®; rmat:l011 received by me after I had closed my diary of
to-day s date. It is sent to yon in letter form to save a post and a copy of it
will also be sent to the Military Attache at Constantinople.
Kasinr—^ ilaS b0en <ieoicied to seiltl the following troops to Eilad
1st Battalion, 41st Regiment, from Amarah. Commandant Ameen
i oomis, who is an Arab and a bribe-taker.
2Qd Battalion, ^th Regiment, from Karbala. Major Amin Affha, an
Arab, and said to be «long-eared " which is the local mode of
<iescribing an ass.
1st Battalion, 45th Regiment, from Baghdad. Major Ahmed Agha, an
Arab, who enjoys the same reputation of being " long-eared."
12th Nishanji (rifles) from Nasariyeh. Major Tewfik Effendi, an Arab,
and a bribe-taker.
1st Eesjiment Cavalry from Hillah. Commander Moostafa Beg, a Turk.
The artillery for this expedition will, it is said, consist of 100 gunners
with 4i mountain guns carried on horses.
The transport will consist of camels and horses. It is said the route has
not yet been decided.
Extract from the diary of the 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 TurJcish Ar alia for the week ending the
28th November 1904.
The Vice-Consal at Kerbala reports as follows about the recent expedition
against Ibn Saoud : —
^ A belief has long been entertained here by the public that the four
regiments originally sent in support of Ibn Hashid have been entirely annihi
lated and that Ibn Eashid has sustained a serious defeat. This belief has been
lately confirmed by the report of two privates who escaped from their regi-
ment at Jabal and arrived here about ten days ago.''
" They say that their force experienced great hardship and hunger while
en route to and in Jabal, and that a few days after their arrival, the Amir
(Ibn Rashid) ordered them to prepare for an attack on the enemy."
" The Amir placed the Turkish troops and their officers in front and his
own men behind, the combined forces then entered Ibn Saoud's territory and
without much difficulty or fighting captured four towns compelling Ibn Saoud
and his followers to retreat."
" After that Ibn Rash id received a letter from one Ibn Bassam in
Borreida (members of the Bassam family are found in Basra and Syria as large
traders) telling him that he had contrived certain plans for the delivery of the
place into his hands and asking him to go there with his forces as soon as
possible."
" The Amir was deceived and started for Borreida where he was surprised
and attacked by Ibn Saoud. The Amir and his men who were in the rear
escaped with about 800 officers and men because they knew the roads, but
the others remained fighting and were either killed or captured."
<8 All reports combine in giving an exceedingly pathetic account of the
Turks in Ibn Rashid's hands at Jabal: they are said to be severely treated and
scantily maintained."