File 1855/1904 Pt 7 'Koweit Flag.' [‎192v] (46/154)

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No. 346, dated Busliire. 22nd (received 31st) July 1903.
From- -Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., Officiating 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,
To-S. M. Frasee, Esq., C.I.E., Secretary to the Government of India in the
Foreign Department.
In continuation of my letter No. 337 , dated 16th July 1905, I have the
, for the information of the Government of India, a copy of a
ktewitu enclosure since received by me from Sheikh Mubarak in confirmation
of what passed at our interview the day before.
2 It will be noticed that he speaks of our advice to him in the matters
referred to as “ directions/’ I think it well therefore to point out that this has
no significance ; it is a common form of speech in which the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. thinks it
potite & to speak of himself as being in the humble position of receiving
- raoori Varfliv sav that I merely asked his views, and gave him
our
rvi*rlAi'a T
3 As regards the ( ) or Articles, these were discussed between us
as being, in some form, a necessary adjunct to the flag, for the reasons which he
explains, and the design, of which I forwarded a copy with my letter last week,
was that provisionally decided upon by us in consultation.
It is difficult to make out from Sheikh Mubarak’s present letter whether he
means to suggest that on further consideration the pattern first chosen is perhaps
too elaborate for the taste ot his subjects, who might not take the trouble to
get them filled in, or whether he proposes to have it in addition to the original
one selected. I will take steps to find out exactly what he does mean. Mean
while I forward a copy, with translation, of the document which he has sent
me.
4 . The point to he borne in mind is that more often than not Persian
Customs officials at Gulf Ports do not know Arabic and are not familiar with
Sheikh Mubarak’s seal or signature ; it is therefore not surprising if they refuse
to take cognizance of some irregular slip of paper produced by a Nakhoda and
asserted to be a credential from the Sheikh of Koweit.
5. It was for this reason-that I thought that it would he an additional
advantage to have an English translation of the Articles alongside the Arabic,
so that after getting his paper filled in and signed in Arabic by the Sheikh, the
Nakhoda could, if he wished, get the English equivalents written up at the
British Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. above the Sheikh’s signature.
A certificate in such a form as that submitted with my last report would
moreover seem to serve the useful purposes both of furnishing indirect evidence
of the close relations between the Sheikh and ourselves, and also of the fact that
the flag depicted at the head of the Articles is not the Turkish Flag but a dis
tinct! ve flag adopted by Sheikh Mubarak as an independent Ruler for the
use of his own subjects.
Translation.
Dated the 9th Jemad-el-Aval 1323 (13th July 1905).
From— Sheikh Mubarak-el-Subah, Chief of Koweit,
To— Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., Officiating 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.
After compliments .—With reference to your verbal instructions regarding
the storage of coal at Koweit (be assured that), whether it be in regard to coal
or any other matter, I will gratefully comply with any directions which the
High Government may he pleased to give with your notice.
With regard to Bubiyan, it is well known to be my territory and the post
which was located on it was placed there without my consent and by force, and
lam unable to resist this Government (that is the Porte). If also the British
2