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File 1855/1904 Pt 10 'Koweit:- Relations with Turkey. Sheikh's properties at Fao and Fadaghia' [‎120v] (240/398)

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. .

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aooears to me to be no immediate prospect of h.s return, and the mevitable
delav in referring the matter to him induces me to request, with a 1 deference, a
re-consideration of this suggestion. If the present setilement is fair and above-
board there is not the slightest doubt that the matter will come to light either
from the Sheikh himself or from other sources, notably Basrah information.
„ jf on chg 0 ther hand, as is far more probable, the present settlement has
been°effected by bribery, any questions put to Sheikh Mubarak will merely
arouse his suspicions and, if he should exactly realise the situation, he would
regard with some measure of contempt, my indiscretion in asking inconvenient
Questions and would certainly not tell me the truth. That Sheikh Mubarak will
give me or anyone else, his complete confidence in this or any other matter, 1 am
not sanguine enough to expect. He finds it extremely convenient to use his
presumed influence with the British authorities to gain his private ends and does
so with considerable adroitness if we may judge from 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. ,
Bahrein’s letter No. 88, dated 30th January 1909 on the question of Koweit pearl
merchants’ claims against Sheikh Jasim bin Thani, Chief of Katar.
4. With regard to the second question as to whether his dispute with the
Turks can now be considered as settled or is merely in abeyance, I fear that
it is necessary to consider it merely in abeyance. _ What is certain is that Sheikh
Mubarak does not now wish to re-open the question for the present at any rate,
and would probably regret the appointment of a Commission. The only action
that would appear at all advisable would be perhaps a visit, unofficial, by His
Britannic Majesty’s Consul, Basrah, if he approves, and the visit could be arranged
without alarming 7 'urkish suspicion, so that the fact of the sudd having been
actually re-constructed might rest on more substantial evidence than Sheikh
Munarak’s statement and corroborative rumours from Fao. No doubt, Sheikh
Mubarak would be delighted to arrange for the visit in his steam launch, which
is now up river. I have the honour to submit this suggestion for your
consideration.
f)
No. 100-T., dated Bushire, the 9th March 1909.
From —Major P. Z. Cox. C I.E., 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—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. , Koweit.
I have the honour to refer to your reply No. 90, dated 20th February to
Captain Trevor’s letter, Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. No. 430, of nth idem, in connection with the
Fao embankment question.
2. 1 do not find myself quite sharing the apprehensions expressed in’para-
graph 3 of your letter.
Sheikh Mubarak specifically requested us to assist his interests by endea
vouring to have a commission (to be attended by a British Officer) appointed for
the investigation and equitable settlement of the embankment question. 1 see
no sufficient reason why we should hesitate to remind him of that fact in a
friendly way and add that he will no doubt realise the importance of keeping us
accurately posted in regard to any developments that may be taking place, in
order that His Majesty’s Ambassador may be informed, and thus enabled to
shape his representations accordingly.
I feel sure that Sheikh Mubarak has sufficient common sense to appreciate
that aspect of the question.
In any case, we are entitled to presume that he has, without indiscretion.
But I opine that, if adroitly approached, he will readily respond, and I request
you, if one has not already occurred, to take an early opportunity of mentioning
the matter.
If you need any opening, it might well be a message from me, sent on
return to headquarters, on learning with pleasure that the bund had somehow or
other been re-constructed without objection from the local authorities at Fao.

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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
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File 1855/1904 Pt 10 'Koweit:- Relations with Turkey. Sheikh's properties at Fao and Fadaghia' [‎120v] (240/398), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/51/2, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100037401202.0x000032> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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