![File 1855/1904 Pt 7 'Koweit Flag.' [‎193v] (48/154)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000365.0x000387/IOR_L_PS_10_50_0393.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "File 1855/1904 Pt 7 'Koweit Flag.' [‎193v] (48/154)")
File 1855/1904 Pt 7 'Koweit Flag.' [193v] (48/154)
The record is made up of 76 folios. It was created in 30 Jun 1904-22 Mar 1907. It was written in English and Arabic. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
to the Secretary of State, No. 230-Secret External of December 8th last and
in Major Cox’s letter No. 337-Confidential of July 16th. The Government of
India will also be glad to learn your views as to the suitability of 4 the enclosed
certificate form.
I am to request that Tour Excellency will kindly return the flag speck
mens and certificate form when replying to the present letter.
No. 1462, dated Hyacinth at Colombo, the 23rd August 1905 (Confidential).
From— Vice-Admiral George Atkinson Willes, Commander-in-Chief, East
Indies Station,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th
instant, No. 3086-E.B., relative to the proposal that the Sheikh of Koweit
should adopt a flag distinct from the Turkish for use on vessels belonging to
himself or his subjects.
2. I consider that pattern flag, marked I, enclosed in your letter,
" defaced ” as proposed by Arabic characters indicating the word “ Koweit,’’
is the most suitable flag for the Sheikh to adopt, but I suggest that in addition
to the Arabic characters, the word “ Koweit ” should be placed on the flag in
Roman capitals, to prevent any official who might be ignorant of Arabic from
pleading that he did not understand; thus
Koweit
ie fom!* i^worded fon ?> Paragraph
{Signature of Sheikh.)
4
About this item
- Content
The papers concern the proposal that vessels from Koweit [Kuwait] should adopt a distinctive flag, and the likely reaction this would bring from the Government of Turkey [the Ottoman Empire].
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 (Captain Stuart George Knox); the British Ambassador at Constantinople (Sir Nicholas Roderick O'Conor); and senior officials of Government of India.
The papers cover: correspondence concerning the question of the protection that the British Government should give to subjects of Kuwait in Persian territory, June-December 1904 (folios 220-246); a report that the Ambassador at Constantinople saw no objection to the adoption by the Shaikh of Kuwait [Mubārak bin Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ] of a distinctive flag for Kuwait vessels, while retaining his existing flag for use in Kuwait, February-March 1905 (folios 217-219); correspondence concerning the proposed use by the Shaikh of Kuwait of the Turkish flag with the addition of the word 'Koweit' written across it in Arabic letters (including colour drawings of the proposed flag, folios 199-203), and specimen shipping certificate, July 1905 - July 1906 (folios 190-216); and correspondence concerning the Shaikh of Kuwait's concerns over the likely consequences of his adoption of the new flag, particularly his fears of 'oppressive measures' from Turkish officials at Basrah [Basra] and other Turkish ports, August 1906 - March 1907 (folios 176-188).
The Arabic language content of the papers is confined to Arabic wording on the specimen shipping certificate and drawings of the proposed Kuwait flag, between folios 192 and 201.
The date range gives the covering dates of all the documents; the date range of the Secret Department minute papers given on the subject divider on folio 171 is 1905-07.
- Extent and format
- 76 folios
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
File 1855/1904 Pt 7 'Koweit Flag.' [193v] (48/154), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/50/2, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100035754161.0x0000c2> [accessed 10 August 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100035754161.0x0000c2
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100035754161.0x0000c2">File 1855/1904 Pt 7 'Koweit Flag.' [‎193v] (48/154)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100035754161.0x0000c2"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000365.0x000387/IOR_L_PS_10_50_0393.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000365.0x000387/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/50/2
- Title
- File 1855/1904 Pt 7 'Koweit Flag.'
- Pages
- 170r:196r, 196r:196v, 196v:245v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence