'File No. II/9 Foreign Dept Memoranda of Information re. affairs in Persian Gulf, Maskat & Arabian Shore of the Persian Gulf. Nov '07 - Dec '08.' [‎50v] (102/132)

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his attitude towards them in other important
connections, such as, the quarantine and house-
rent questions. What the Sheikh had con
sistently pressed for was a committee of
enquiry by the finding of which he agreed to
abide. Major Cox, therefore, expressed the
hope that it might still be considered expedient
as well as feasible, in the interests of the
British Government’s general relations with
the Sheikh, to endeavour to get the Porte to
a/ree to the appointment of a Committee,
composed of persons agreeable to borh parties,
to investigate the Sheikh’s claims exhaustively.
He considered that the presence of Major
Knox or of His Majesty’s Consul at Basrah,
if not as a member of the Committee, might
be pressed for to watch the proceedings for the
information of His Majesty’s Government.
The Government of India, in forwarding
the correspondence to His Majesty’s Secretary
of State, stated that, although it was possible
that the Sheikh would not succeed in con
vincing the Turkish authorities, they agreed
with Major Cox that it was most desirable,
on political grounds, that a recommendation
should be made to the Porte to appoint a
Committee consisting of persons agreeable to
both parries for the final settlement of the
matters in dispute. They added that it would
also be an advantage if, as proposed by Major
Cox, a British officer were permitted to be
present, and suggested that, if His Majesty’s
Government were able to make such a recom
mendation, the British Consul at Basrah be
nominated for the purpose.
178. [Vide para. 17, July 1906.) On
Rightsof the Sheikh of ^ ie 01 November
Koweit over the islands 1907, the Government
of Bubiyan and Warba. ()f India i n f ormed His
Majesty’s Secretary of State for India that,
owing to a misunderstanding on the part of
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, the Bunder
Shweikjh foreshore agreement included an addi
tional clause giving a right of pre-emption to
the entire island of Warba, situated nepr Khor
Abdullah, and its surrounding foreshore (vide
para. 195, October 1907). They, however,
subsequently reported that, in their opinion, the
inclusion, in the lease, of the right of pre
emption to W T arba island, which merely con
veyed to them the Sheikh’s rights for what
they were worth, could in no circumstances
embarrass them even if the Sheikh’s title to
the island were doubtful. On the 20th
November 1907, the Secretary of State asked
that 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. might be instructed
to ascertain the nature of the Sheikh’s claims
to Warba island from the Sheikh in such a
manner that it would not lead him to think
that the British Government were prepared to
support those claims. He added that, until
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