File 1247/1912 Pt 1 'Turkey:- Communication to Turkish Govt of agreement between Gt. Britain and Koweit, Bahrein & Trucial Chiefs. Decorations for Sheiks of Koweit, Mohammerah & Bahrein in connection with Anglo-Turkish Convention.' [‎173r] (265/336)

IThis^DocjimenMsJhe Property of His Britannic Maiestvs !
ASIATIC TURKEY AND ARABIA.
[June 7.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 3.
[21185]
No. 1
Sir G. Lowther to Sir Edward Grey.—{Received June 7 )
fNo. 396.)
3 \ 1 ™ thG honou ]' to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No "l 3^Tth^
iS“ , KT.S2 t ' h * ",“ k ' v
T V f 10 ^ IIls t r uot me to take a suitable opportunity to make it clear to the
lurhsh Government that the attitude of His Majesty’s Government rjardnt tie
status of Koweit has not been modified since th e J occurrence of the recent consti
»“ p,e * 1 ^ r “ r
oweit and at that time when both parties expressed their maintenance offit it
appeared as if both placed their own interpretation on the phrase. It would be possible
to inform the Turkish Government that His Majesty’s Government have not modified
their attitude as to the status of Koweit, and the Turkish Government m“ght answer
that neither had they, but the matter would not be advanced thereby. On the other
hand, there is the possibility that they might asseverate that His Majesty’s Government
had modified their attitude in that they had, in 1907, obtained a perpetual lease of the
Bunder Shweikh land &c knowledge of which, ^s shown in ^ despatch ab^ve
mentioned, appears to have leaked out and arrived at the cognisance of the Ottoman
Government They are in a position to state that this is subsequent to any declares
concerning the status r and they might, quite conceivably, be disposed to view the
subsidy^™ 6111 ° f 4,000/ ' t0 the sheikh > not m Rs proper light as rent, but as a
■ t , However this may be, the Turkish Government is too much occupied at present
with the problems or the reorganisation of the administration; and it would seem
advisable to leave the question of the status of Koweit alone till such time as they shall
t emselves m a position to enter upon a discussion of the principle involved when
1 fflltoTtoto 6 tHat the p Vle 7f, W 3j de P end largely upon the success with which their
efforts at the regeneration of the Government of the country will have met.
In the meantime I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a despatch which
cf hTdeW Ve b/ r0m I i'?l ^ a J est y s consul-general at Bussorah, in which, in continuation
of h s despatch forwarded m my No. 170 of the 10th March last, he reports the successful
settlement by Sheikh Mubarek of the question of his irrigation scheme at Fao, and I
desue particularly to call your attention to Mr. Crow’s observation that, according to
his experience, the sheikh can manage his own business far better than we can, and that
these difficulties settle themselves if left alone.
I have, &c.
GERAKD LOWTHER.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
x Consul-General Crow to Sir G. Lowther
(JN o. Zb.)
■\i7TTTT c i i -v-r Russorah, April 30, 1909.
^ 'to M v f T. eU f ? my des P ateh No - 7 of the 12th February last on the subject of
Sheikh Mubarek s land at Fao, I have the honour to transmit herewith t 0 J your
Excellency copy of a, letter received from His Majesty’s political agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Koweit oh the
same subject, in which Mubarek gives his own explanation of the withdrawal of all
opposition to his irrigation schemes.
[2298 y—3]