'Adminisistration [Administration] Reports 1931-1935' [‎117v] (234/416)

64
V —Condition of the Country.
(Law and Order.)
( ^ TnL has been all that could he desired and the change that has come
over the State as compared with 1929 and the years previous, is little short of
^^^Law, order, and security have reigned everywhere within the Kuwait
marches, throughout 1933. .
(r) As recorded a year ago the reasons for this satisfactory state of affairs
may be summarised shortly as below :
1 The advent of the motor car, which enables the most inaccessible corners
of the State to be visited by the Shaikh’s armed Ford cars, on the
first sign of trouble.
2 The onenino- up of the Arabian Coast as an Air route by Imperial Air-
wavs and the bi-weeklv flight of their big air liners, which pass
over Kuwait till the Neutral Zone is reached and generally impress
all and sundry.
3 The frequent flights of R. A. F. machines over the Principality and down
the coast to Bahrain.
4 The stern and tight control maintained by Bin Sand over the Nejd
' border tribes, and the svmpathy generally which the latter feel for
Kuwait as a result of the King’s ‘ blockade ’, which has resulted
in a wide and tacit arrangement among the bedoum to do nothing
to hurt the people of Kuwait and their small tribal community.
5 The manv car visits of the Shaikh to every corner of the State in the
process of “ hawking ” the Hubara or bustard. This goes on
throughout the cold season.
6. The frequent tours made by the 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. into the interior whew
’ he visits the camps of the bedouins and generally shows himseli
This breeds a spirit of confidence and a growing belief that His
Majesty’s Representative keeps his eyes and ears open and would
not be moving about in the hinterland and among the Bedouin
unless by order of the Protecting Power.
7. The fact that “ Akhwanism ’* or the fanatical Wahabi spirit which Avas
a feature among the Bedouin prior to 1930, has now disappeared,
especially among the northern tribes of Nejd more particularly
among the Mutair, Ajman and Awazim. The latter tribes to-uay
more than ever, look to Kuwait with affection and regard and count
the time not far distant when they will once again be able freely
to visit Kuwait and buy supplies. This fact perhaps more than
any other, has had a stablizing effect in the desert and acts as a
wholesome deterrent to anyone minded to start a course ot raiding',
etc.
(d) There were no Bedouin incidents such as raids, etc., during the year,
and Bin Sand’s frontier officers allowed none of their patrols to cross e
border. , t ^
(e) In the Town of Kuwait one case only of house breaking with violence
occurred in the 12 months under review, a remarkable record when £ ne c( !
to think of it. The culprits in the case, 3 ’Iraqis, were caught after a shoi c
and summarily dealt with.
VI .— Relations with Saudi Arabia and Blockade.
(a) The personal relations between Kuwait and Bin Sand have been out
warclly perfectly friendly and good throughout 1933. This in spite o ^
continued blockade and the apparently unchanged intention of the K 111 ^
bend Kuwait to his will, by continuing to prevent :—r
1. All caravan communication with the interior of Saudi Arabia.
2. As well as by the strict banning of Kuwait to all his own tribesmen.
(b) Outwardly Bin Sand’s declared policy has been and apparently stilly
to endeavour to deflect the trade, that would normally pass through Kuwa
Qassim in Nejd, and to the great tribes of North-East Arabia, to his own
ports of Qatif, flu bail and Ojair. Actually to those who know the ^ vm ^’ • „ii v
is little doubt, I think, that his real intentions to starve Kuwait economic