'File VII/1. Telegraphic Connection to Kuwait.' [‎50r] (99/574)

CONFIDENT! A' .
No. 757, dated Bushire, the 7th (received 15th) April 1912,
From— Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Cox, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., Political Resi- *
dent in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire,
To—The Hon’blb Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Henry McMahon, G.C.VO.,
K.C.I.E., C.S.h, Secretary to the Government of India in the boreign
Department, Simla.
With reference to the correspondence ending with Foreign Department tele
gram No. S-139, dated 20th March, in connection with the proposed wireless
installation at Kuwait, I have the honour to forward a copy of a letter 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. , for the information of
No. c- 29 , dated 23rd March .912. Government.
2. It will be seen that he too favours the Bandar Shwaikh site and considers,
on the grounds explained, that no preliminary intimation to Shaikh Mubarak is
advisable, at all events at present.
I see no reason to disagree with him.
f f
vnO
I
No. C-29, dated Kuwait, the 23rd March 1912.
From— CAPTAIN W. H. I. Shakespear, 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. , Kuwait,
To—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. , Bushire.
have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your Special Assistant s
endorsement No. 584, dated the 20th March 191 q,- requesting my views with res
pect to (a) the site for, {b) the form of communication to be made to Shaikh
Mubarak regarding the proposed wireless installation at Kuwait.
2. With regard to the site, in my opinion there is no question but that a site
within the boundaries of our Bandar Shwaikh ground is by far the most advant
ageous. There is ample space available, and a particularly suitable spot for both
station and quarters exists within 600 yards to the east of the Shaikh s coal-shed ;
if located here no questions of further lease or purchase are involved and con
nection with the present Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. by telephone should present no serious difficulty.
3. With regard to the form of communication which it would be desirable
to make to Shaikh Mubarak on the subject, ! am of opinion that none is required
at present, nor indeed until it has been decided to commence the actual wor o
construction and the material is on the way. When work is about to be^ com
menced I would suggest that I should inform the Shaikh verbally in t e
ordinary course of conversation that Government had at last decided to open a
wireless station at Kuwait, thus giving the port the telegraphic communication
with the world which has so long been desirable and that the site selected tor it
lies within the limits of our concession at Bandar Shwaikh. My reasons tor these
suggestions are
(1) that the Shaikh has himself frequently expressed the advantage tele-
graphic communication would be^to the town and his own readi
ness to welcome its consummation {vide Kuwait letter No. C-29,
dated the 25th May 1910). In later conversations he has fre
quently gone further and, without actually asking for a telegraph
station, has made it abundantly clear that he would welcome one
for its utility and as a sign further assuring his close relations with
the British Government;
(2) that too early disclosure of the proposal would give rise to undesirable
speculation and garbled accounts would certainly reach Turkish
ears and probably initiate an anti-British press campaign inveigh
ing against English aggression on so-called d urkish territory ;
that a formal written communication would be likely to give the
Shaikh an impression that some dark political move in connection
with the Baghdad Railway was being played and so focus upon the
proposal quite unnecessary attention ;
( 3 )