File 1855/1904 Pt 10 'Koweit:- Relations with Turkey. Sheikh's properties at Fao and Fadaghia' [‎100r] (199/398)

Sir G. Lowther to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received April 11.)
(No. 206.) , ■
Sir, Constantinople, April 5, 1910.
WITH reference to your despatch No. 38 of the 15th February I have the
honour to forward herewith a despatch from His Majesty’s consul at Bussorah which
contains a reply, in part, to the enquiries made in the above-mentioned despatch as to
the report in the German press of the purchase of land by Englishmen at Koweit. I
have the honour to state that your despatch No. 38 has been forwarded to Mr. Lorimer
for a report, which I am now awaiting.
I have, &c.
GERARD LOWTHER.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Consul Crow to Sir G. Lowther.
(No. 14.)
Sir, Bussorah, March 9, 1910.
I HAVE the honour to report that last month the vali and the commodore
proceeded in the “ Marmaris ” to Fao and met Sheikh Mubarek and Sheikh Khazal at
the house of Abdul Wahab-el-Kartass at Saraji, a few miles from Bussorah. The
company were entertained at a banquet, at which the proceedings were enlivened by
the Turkish band. After the meal Abdul Wahab, the host, made a speech, which has
been reproduced in a local Arabic newspaper, the “ Izhar-el-Hakk.” The speaker,
after congratulating the Ottoman nation on acquiring freedom and a constitution, said
no people had ever done so without gradually progressing to the attainment of the
highest happiness, glory, and prosperity, and he was convinced Turkey would do the
same. He then declared that certain dishonest officials in the past, in order to serve
their own ends, had succeeded in estranging Sheikh Mubarek Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , kaimakam of
Koweit, from his country and his Government, and went on to eulogise the sheikh in
the following terms :—
“ Who is Sheikh Mubarek Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. -es-Sabah ? He is the free, faithful, and zealous
Ottoman now among us. Excellencies, we all know him well, and I need not detain
you with an account of the sheikh or his family, whose generous qualities have gained
notoriety from the books of Midhat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the founder of our freedom, while more
recently the sheikh himself has become famous for the lavish manner in which he has
contributed both money and assistance, as is attested by the official records of the
Government.”
The speaker concluded his address “ by attesting to the fact that, throughout the
course of past events and vicissitudes, the sheikh has never wavered or changed in his
allegiance and fidelity to the Ottoman Government and nation,” and ended by saying,
“ long life to Sheikh Mubarek and our beloved neighbour, Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Arfa Khazal Khan,
who, although a Persian by nationality, conducts himself like an Ottoman in his acts
and contributes both efforts and money to the establishment of peace and good order in
our dear native land, and that more especially in the time of the present vali.”
The party were then photographed, the vali in the middle, with Khazal on his
right and Mubarek on his left, while the speaker, Kartass, stood in the foreground with
his back to the camera.
I called a few days ago on the author of the speech, Abdul Wahab-el-Kartass, who
quite admitted that he had his tongue in his cheek when he delivered it.
Mr. Lyle, of Messrs. Gray, Mackenzie, and Co., who visited the sheikh at Koweit
shortly after his trip to Bussorah, informed me that Mubarek had told him that the
vali_ still refused to allow the registration of the transfer of the land he had purchased
at Fedaghie unless he took out a certificate of Ottoman nationality. Abdul Wahab
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , however, gave me a somewhat different account of the matter. According to
[2710 /—l]