'File C 4/47 Agency at Mina Al Ahmadi' [‎9r] (17/32)

No. C/2P4U/47)
Political Af*ncy,
Kuweit.
December ] 0 , 194°.
Dear Sir Hu ert,
Your teleprara No. 304 of December .7.
2. Services r^nder^d to British shipoirr are laid
do^n in a buff book entitled "Instructions to Consul?,
Merchant Shippinp and Seaman, of vbich a cony is in
the Bahrein Apency. When a ship comes into port her master
deposits the ship's articles which are endorsed and a fee
charged. Fnpapementp and discharges of seaman are recorded
in the articles aeainst naynrnt of a f<*e. Th» local rate of
exchange for advances to seamen is also entered in the
articles• Stowaways, deserters, sick seamen end seamen
otherwise left behind, alive or dead, are also dealt with
as are disputes on board between th* master and m^mb^rs of
the crew. When required an enquiry can be conducted on board
and in serious cases what is misnamed a "Naval" Court summoned.
3. On the basis of services to British shippinp
a * n* X consider that there is a stronp case for ooeninp an
off ce in Ahmedi particularly as it is over 30 mile? -r r om
Kuweit as compared with Abadan Reach's 10. But as I mentioned in
in my t*l^rram No. 273 of November 30 I consider that we
should place our services at the disposal of foreign shinning
because if we do rot do so amroachei will undoubtedly be
made for the aooointment of foreign, representatives as has
already happened with the United States.
4* Further as I oointed out in my note No. c/^79
('Vl^) of December 1, of which I have row sent a copy to the
Department, an office at Mina a? Ahmadi should h*»!p us in
regularizing the situation with the Kuwait Oil Company. There
has b*en some mention of waiting for a "definite issue" to
regularize relations between the Sheikh, th- Oil Company and
ourselves but I myself wonder whether a policy of reaceful
penetration would not be more rewarding than one of a him show
down. Many past shortcomings have arisen from the fact that
this Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. was not in a position to play its proper role
and I myself feel that if we can show to the Company that we
are both in a position and determined to discharge fully all
our responsibilities then a chanp* of practice , if not of
heart, should be made easier for them.
5. One of the ways by which we can give the Company
a clear indication of our intentions is by opening an office
at ' ina al Ahmadi. I did not ask Jordan for his views on this
proposal but from the alacrity with which he showed me
suitable accommodation and telephoned, unasked, the next day
to confirm It, it is clear that a branch office of the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
would be most welcome there. The present 30-mile trek to
Kuweit suits nobody and is in fact a grave inconvenience for
the company's staff.
6. In addition to the effect on the Kuwait Oil
Company
His Excellency
Sir Rupert Hay, K^C.I.F., C.S.I.,
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. ,
Bahrein.