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File 1855/1904 Pt 7 'Koweit Flag.' [238r] (139/154)
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.
No. 356, dated Bushire, the 15th October 1904.
From—The 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
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
,
To—L. W. Dane, Esq., C.S.I., Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign
Department.
In continuation of previous correspondence ending with my telegram of
10th instant on the subject of the proceedings of the Persian Revenue gunboat
“ MozafFar ,} in the Shat-el-Arab, I have the honour to forward herewith, for
the information of the Government of
India, a copy of a letter* from Captain
Knox,
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.
, Koweit, on the subject of the detention and search of a
“ boom ” belonging to the Sheikh of Koweit.
* No. 32, dated 26th September 1904, with enclo
tares.
2. Captain Knox’s letter explains the case fully, and it is unnecessary for
me to comment on it at length. In regard to the last paragraph, however, I
beg to give the following remarks:—
Acting on the complaint of Sheikh Mubarek sent to me by Captain Knox
under cover of his letter No. 24, dated 14th September 1904 (a copy of which
was sent to the Government of India with my letter No 336, dated 24th
September 1904), I approached Monsieur Waffelaert on the subject of the
alleged seizure of a “ boom ” and a “ helium ” belonging to the Sheikh of
Koweit, and received the following reply:—
“ As regards the “ boom ” and the “ helium ” belonging to the Sheikh of
Koweit, I beg to inform you that the “ Mozaffar” has operated
searchings in many dhows which she has come across, among
which there have in fact been a “ boom ” and a helium ” of
which one was coming from Basrah, and the other going to
Maniouhi; from what I have been able to gather from the Com
mander none of these (that is of the 2 mentioned) appertain to
the Sheikh of Koweit, as also appears from the one’s origin and
the other’s destination.”
I am again addressing the Director-General of Customs in view
information in Captain Knox’s letter, which was unfortunately delayed a week
by missing the mail steamer at Fao.
3. I have had the opportunity of conversing with Captain Knox on this
subject, and I think that undoubtedly popular feeling has been much roused in
Koweit by the high-handed proceedings on the part of the Persian Customs
Department, and especially by the minute search of a boat belonging to the
Sheikh.
4. I trust, therefore, that the Government of India will be pleased to take
such action as they think fit to prevent such occurrences in future, ^ and if
necessary to cause the Customs Department to make some explanation and
apology to the Sheikh for the behaviour of their employes on this occasion.
5. A copy of this communication has been sent to His Majesty’s Minister,
Tehran.
No. 32, dated the 26th September 1904,
From-^CAPTAiN S. G. Knox, LA..,
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.
, Koweit,
To— Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General for Fars>
Khuzistan, etc., Bushire.
I have the honour to forward herewith four statements of the Nakhoda
and three sailors of the boom “ Musallini,” property of Sheikh Mubarek,
which, it was alleged, was stopped by the servants of the Imperial Customs
Department of Persia on or about the 15th instant.
2. The statements which were recorded separately present the usual
discrepancies to be found when a number of ignorant witnesses, incapable of
correct observation, are examined, but I see no reason to doubt the general
A
About this item
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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
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- 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