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File 1855/1904 Pt 8 'Koweit:- Arabia Chiefs' attitude towards tribes of the interior (Nejd etc.)' [‎62v] (122/336)

The record is made up of 170 folios. It was created in 4 Feb 1904-30 Jan 1908. 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. .

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j tr i-t miilp nr hv force, according to his alternative proposal, he
and Kahf by ju je J ngolidate Ms position there so long as the Turks were
aTle to attack h^f om the sea. On the whole, therefore it does not appear
able to attack mm serioug risk of a ii ena ting Bm Saood by failing to
that we should ni y , t hig When, if ever, he success-
respond immediately and dn-ect y compelled to turn to the British^,
Government tor p f .nnsider it to be to their advantage and m consonance
TuLd 6 Z m m e Hatr and 0 K n atif te His’ Majesty’s Government might think it
advisable to restrain them from attacking Bin Saood’s position on the coast
on the oround that we are responsible for the maritime peace of the Gulf, and
that we cannot permit coastal warfare to he pursued to the prejudice of
that peace On this point of general policy we can only say that from an
Indian‘point of view it would be distinctly desirable that the Turks should not
possess a semblance of authority on the Eastern Arabian coast south of Zobehr,
as their posiiion at Katif and Ojair may easily he embarrassing and encourages
the claims to sovereignty over Koweit and even Bahrein which are still put
forward. The risk of the lease of harbours to other maritime powers m the gult
would also be greatly decreased.
11. In the meanwhile, as some reply seems to he necessary to the reiterated
enquiries which have been made by, or on behalf of, Bin Sa ood, we propose,
subject to your approval, to convey an answer to him to the effect that the
British Government, while anxious to maintain friendly relations with him,
so long as he comports himself in a manner consonant with British interests
and our engagements with Arab Sheikhs on the coast, see no necessity, under
present conditions, for making him any formal promises of protection which
might even have the effect of stimulating Turkish opposition to the consolid
ation of his authority.
12. Our anxiety as to the possible effect of the recent changes in Nejd
has been heightened by the recent passage of considerable bodies of
Turkish troops through Koweit, a proceeding which is in contravention of the
terms of the status quo Agreement of 1901 by which the Turks undertook
not to send troops to Koweit. It is true that the undertaking which the
Porte gave related primarily to the offensive movement of troops by sea to
Koweit’and did not contemplate such a situation as the present in which the
Turks have withdrawn beaten troops by land through Koweit. Still, in
our opinion, if the occurrence is allowed to pass unnoticed it will form
an inconvenient precedent as tending to bring the Sheikh more directly
under Turkish authority or even to facilitate a coup de main on Koweit. if
it is repeated and the Sheikh resents it, there is some danger that he
may take direct measures to stop the passage of military parties
through his territories, and this might at any moment lead to a disagreeable
incident necessitating action on our part which it is desirable, if possible,
to avoid. According to a report* from
* Enclosure j>o. 15 . Major Knox the Sheikh has already,
on one occasion, felt himself able to refuse to permit some Turkish refugees to
enter Koweit and he might now welcome some support on this point from us.
This would have the incidental advantage of strengthening our influence at
this important point, which is desirable in view of the uncertainty which
Sheikh Mubarak apparently feels as to the present policy of the British
Government, which has led him to demur to introducing the new Koweit
flag and to coquet more openly with the Turkish authorities at Basrah. We
therefore invite His Majesty’s Government to consider whether the opportunity
miErht not suitably he taken to warn the Turkish Government once more
against taking action likely to “ and still further to the disturbed condition
of this part of Arabia ” (see Lord Lansdowne’s despatch to Sir N. O’Conor,
No. 177, dated the 10th May 1904), and to intimate to them that, if troops
are again moved through Koweit territory on their passage to or from Nejd,
His Majesty’s Government will be forced to consider what action should be
taken to protect their own interests.

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The papers concern the attitudes of Shaikh Mubarak [Mubārak bin Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ] of Koweit [Kuwait] and rulers of other Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. coast states toward the political activities of Bin Saood (also referred to as Ibn Saood) [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd, (Ibn Sa‘ūd)] in Nejd [Najd].

The principal correspondents are 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 the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Major Percy Zachariah Cox); 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. , Kuwait (Major Stuart George Knox); HBM's Consul, Basrah (also referred to as Bussorah) [Basra] (Francis Edward Crow); the British Ambassador at Constantinople (Sir Nicholas Roderick O'Conor); and senior officials of the Government of India, the Foreign Office, and 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 papers cover: papers concerning a proposed visit by Ibn Sa‘ūd to the Pirate Coast [ Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ] and Oman, including discussion of whether, in the event of his gaining ascendancy in the region, an approach should be made to him through the Shaikh of Kuwait or the Sultan of Muscat to safeguard the rights of British subjects residing in his territories and to ensure that there was no interference with Arab tribes in alliance with the British Government, October 1905 - February 1906 (including copies of treaties with chiefs of the Pirate Coast, 1862-92, folios 159-162) (folios 144-170); the decision of the Government of India, with Foreign Office approval, to authorise 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 the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. to issue a warning to the chiefs of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. not to engage in 'intrigues' with Ibn Sa‘ūd, so as to avoid unrest that would be damaging to British commercial interests in the area, March-April 1906 (folios 121-143); papers concerning Ibn Sa‘ūd's relations with the Turkish [Ottoman] and British Governments, August-October 1906 (folios 108-120); papers concerning a possible Arab confederacy, November 1906 (folios 103-107); reports of fighting between Turkish troops and Arab tribesmen in Hassa [Al Hasa], overtures by Ibn Sa‘ūd to the British, and correspondence concerning the passage of Turkish troops through Kuwait, December 1906- April 1907 (including enclosures dated 1904) (folios 41-102); papers concerning Najd affairs, and the decision of the Government of India, with the agreement of 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. and the Foreign Office, that it was inadvisable to issue further warnings to Shaikh Mubarak not to interfere in Najd, as this might tend to weaken British influence over him, January-July 1907 (folios 11-40); and a memorandum concerning British relations with the Wahabees [Wahhabis], January 1908 (folios 4-10).

The date range gives the main covering dates of all the documents; however, the papers also include copies of treaties dated 1862-92 (folios 159-162). The date range of the Secret Department minute papers given on the subject divider on folio 1 is 1906-07.

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170 folios
Written in
English in Latin script
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File 1855/1904 Pt 8 'Koweit:- Arabia Chiefs' attitude towards tribes of the interior (Nejd etc.)' [‎62v] (122/336), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/50/3, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100035754160.0x000084> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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