File 1855/1904 Pt 10 'Koweit:- Relations with Turkey. Sheikh's properties at Fao and Fadaghia' [57r] (113/398)
The record is made up of 199 folios. It was created in 12 Jan 1908-18 Sep 1912. It was written in English and French. 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.
all sorts 0 f courtesy for political ends. Firstly, he asked me to beg for the
extension 0 f telegraph wire and 1 excused myself with suitable excuses and
explained to him the disagreement of my subjects (to such a course) and diverted
his mind. His only hope depended on the second matter, viz., the obtaining of
orders fo r the settlement of my property, the el Fadaghia, so that he may con
vince m e to register it in the names of my elder sons, Jaber, Salem, Naser and
Hamad an d take out Turkish papers of nationality; but I asked that it (the
property) should be (registered) in the names of my son Naser and his seven
sisters who are minors and that he (Naser) should be appointed as their
legal guardian because he is nearly pious and possesses the noble knowledge
(Theology), and it was my intention to leave him with his sisters in an isolated
property. My elder sons possess the property at Fao which is a large one, and
which will be sufficient for them. I tried much to convince him but he could
not be convinced.
Now there has occurred the intrigue which I feared would take piece in the
affair, viz., that Ahmad
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
az Zuhair has arrived from Constantinople and
learned about my disagreement with the objects of the Vali and the Vali’s
annoyance against me for my failure to comply with his objects ; and he has
begun to meddle with the affair and to bring about causes, basing his action on
the Government Tapu which he has in his possession The local Government
also renders him assistance on the strength of the official Government Tapu.
My papers being of the ordinary from, are not to be considered as reliable. All
these actions are taken by the Vali with the object of frightening me to yield to
his demands. I however do not care for their vain action by the good graces of
the High Government, and I depend on righteousness and hold reliable docu
ments from them and have shown them copies thereof, and they contain the
testimonials of all the leading men of Basrah and the British Consul, Mr. Crow.
Under these circumstances I believe that 1 myself, my sons, my town, my
subjects, the inhabitants of Kuwait and my properties are under the protection
of the British Government; but, as I saw their interference and the intrigues used
by them according to reliable information which I have received from my Agent
at Basrah and from certain merchants of Basrah who are on friendly terms with
me, I send you herewith, the copies of those informations. Inshallah, they will
be perused by you and you will endeavour to solve this question a day sooner
(i.e., at an early date). I will not absolutely proceed beyond your opinion, idea
and consent, and shall not agree with the Vali in his object as regards the taking
of Turkish papers of nationality. In the same way that I am obedient to your
orders and consent in refusing to take Turkish papers of nationality, you may
safeguard my rights and my property on which I have spent a large sum of
money, for making watercoures and burrowing, and also protect me from the
dodges.
I have described all the facts to you, hoping to receive the assistance of the
Brilish Government at the earliest time. Please defend me against vain intrigues
and afford me your kind regards.
May you ever be preserved.
(Translation of Enclosure No. i.)
Copy of a letter received from a Basrah merchant "who is a friend of mine.
Sir,
The circumstances and proceedings of the people of Basrah are not hidden
from you. Not a single man exists amongst them who may possess nobleness,
'ibis story is too long and I pray God to improve their condition, because all
their proceedings are directed by worldly covetousness. A few days ago Ahmad
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
az Zuhair came to our side and met with Sayid Talib and Yusuf el
Mandi and they convinced him to refuse absolutely the settlement of (the affair)
of the el Fadaghia, to nullify the purchase and to refund the money he had
received by instalments within fifteen years. In my opinion this is an intrigue of
Yusuf and Talib in these days You may write to Talib to use his endeavours
and speak with Ahmad and also to use his influence with the Vali to effect a
About this item
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The papers concern relations between Shaikh Mubarak [Mubārak bin Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ], Ruler of Koweit [Kuwait] and the Government of Turkey [the Ottoman Empire]; particularly in regard to the purchase by the Shaikh of date gardens at Fao [Al Fāw] on the Shatt-al-Arab, and property at Fadaghia, near Fao, both of which were in Turkish territory. In both cases, the Turkish authorities insisted that the Shaikh should first register himself as an Ottoman subject before they would allow the legal formalities of ownership to be completed.
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. (Lieutenant-Colonel 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; from 1909 Captain William Henry Irvine Shakespear); the British Consul at Basrah (also referred to as Bussorah) [Basra] (Francis Edward Crow); the British Ambassador at Constantinople (Sir Gerald Augustus Lowther); Shaikh Mubarak; and senior officials 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. , the Government of India, and the Foreign Office.
The papers cover: papers concerning the Fao property, including the Shaikh's appeals for a committee of inquiry and arbitration over the matter, January 1908 - July 1909 (folios 115-199); papers concerning the Fadaghia property, February 1909 - December 1910 (folios 6-114); Foreign Office paper containing a memorandum communicated to the Turkish Ambassador concerning the Bagdad railway question and other matters, July 1911 (folios 4-5); and correspondence concerning a false report in a Turkish newspaper that an allowance had been granted by the Turkish Government to Shaikh Mubarak, May-July 1912 (folios 2-3).
The French language content of the papers is confined to three folios of newspaper extracts (folios 133-135).
The date range gives the covering dates of all the documents contained in the papers; the covering dates of the Secret Department minute papers that enclose them, as given on folio 1, are 1908-1912.
- Extent and format
- 199 folios
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/51/2
- Title
- File 1855/1904 Pt 10 'Koweit:- Relations with Turkey. Sheikh's properties at Fao and Fadaghia'
- Pages
- 1r:8v, 11r:11v, 12v:57r, 58v:133r, 136r:199v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
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