File 1855/1904 Pt 6 'Koweit:- Status of Koweitis in Persia.' [‎310r] (129/154)

InJc-Jd. /?■
X
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.
continuation of previous correspondence ending with my telegram of
k 1G ^ an S j . 0n P rocee dings of the Persian Revenue gunboat
Mozatfar in the Shat-el-Arab, I have the honour to forward herewith, for
* No. 32, dated 26th September 1904, with encio- the information of the Government of
^• reB * n i • j. i < , _ . 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.
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 “ bellum ” belonging to the Sheikh of
Koweit, and received the following reply:—
“ As regards the “ boom ” and the " bellum ” 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 “bellum” 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 of the
information in Captain Knox’s letter, which was unfortunately delayed a week
by missing the mail steamer at Pao.
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, I. A., 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 Fare,
Khuzistan, etc., Bushire.
I have the honour to forward herewith four statements of the Nakboda
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 16th instant.
2. The statements which were recorded separately present the usual
discrepancies to he found when a number of ignorant witnesses, incapable of
correct observation, are examined, but I see no reason to doubt the general