'File 5/1 IX Kuwait Oil Company' [‎180r] (364/406)

2
CQNFID l^TIAL.
No#C~163,
POLITIGAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. ,
KUWAIT•
Dated the 3rd May 1934.
From
To
3ir,
Lt.- Colonel H.H.P.'Uekson, 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;
The lion* ble 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. , B u s h i r e .
2TP ll Kegot ia ti o|
In contin’jation of my telegram No. 162 of 3rd May,
I have the honour to enclose translation of
Letter Co.aH/o/IB83, dated 17th C.uharram 1353
(1st May 1934} from H.S. the Shaikh of Kuwait to
the Kuwait Oil Company.
B. Messrs Holmes and Chisholm (the latter of whom
was absent in Basra on 1st May) visited me on 2nd May, and
reported the receipt of the above letter and also furnished
me with a translation, .both appeared seriously coicerned
at what they considered to be more or less ”an ultimatum”•
3. At a subsequent discussion which I had with the
above two gentlemen, Major dolmes expressed the opinion
that the Shaikh was being pressed i)bjrman outside quarter,
and so had decided to force an early issue with the Kuwait
Gil Company. He mentioned that he had inner information
that the Shaikh had received two further telegrams frcm the
strange company whom he suspected to be ohe B#O.D«
This may or may not be true.
4. Major Holmes added ttiat what worried him at this
stage most of all, was the new attitude of the Shaikh. The
latter, he said, had always in the past been on the most
intimate and friendly terms with himself (Major - olmes),
but that quite recently he seemed to have changed entirely,
and to be no longer desirous of trusting him or having uqr
direct dealings with him.
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