File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎282v] (573/834)

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THE AJMAN QUESTION,
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. at Kuweit has sent the following account
of the Ajman question.
About the end of the year 1916 Sultan ibn Hithlein, their
paramount sheikh, gave a written undertaking that the tribe
would not leave our territory without permission, but most of
them eventually went off to Ibn Rashid and Ajeimb
In February 1917, Sheikh Jabir died and Salim reigned in
his stead. In the middle of 1917 Ibn Sand who had already
begun to tax the Awazim, an essentially Kuweit tribe, induced
them to leave Kuweit and settle in his own territory. Sheikh
Salim’s reply to this move was to make advances to the Shammar
and Ajman, and by the beginning of October 1917 the latter had
moved en masse into Kuweit territory. Much correspondence
took place between the two rulers, but Ibn Sand refused to restore
the Awazim, and when Colonel Hamilton, 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. , Kuweit,
visited Nejd, he claimed that he was within his rights in his
action in connection with this tribe. However, knowing that he
was in the wrong, he expressed himself ready to return the filched
tribe if Sheikh Salim would turn out the Ajman and cut off his
relations with the Shammar, the enemies of himself and the
British Government. Eventually an understanding was arrived
at on these lines and the Awazim were returned. Despite this
the Ajman remained in Kuweit territory, and at the beginning
of 1918 the disposal of this tribe had become a burning question.
In February 1918, it was decided that the most satisfactory
settlement of the matter would be for the British Government to
take the Ajman under their protection at Zubeir or elsewhere
on the Shamiyah side, and on March 6, 1918, the following
agreement was signed by 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. (Colonel Hamilton),
Sheikh Salim and Dheidan ibn Hithlein (the leading Ajman
Sheikh) :—
After consulting the wishes of their friend and ally
H.E. Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, Imam of Riyadh and Hakim of Nejd,
Hasa and its dependences ; and after paying due regard to the
intercession on their behalf of H.E. Sheikh Salim el-Mubarak,
Hakim of the Sultanate of Kuweit and its dependencies, in whose
territory and under whose protection the tribe of Ajman are now
dwelling, and having regard to the general policy of friendliness
of the British Government towards the rulers, tribes and people
of Iraq and the Jezirat-ul-Arab, it has seemed good to the British
Government to overlook the breach of the agreement made last
year with Sultan ibn Hithlein and some sections of the Ajman,
and to enter into relations with this tribe for the second time.
Therefore the British Government is willing to accept the sub
mission of the Ajman and to take them under its protection for
the period of one year or until the end of the war on the
conditions underm en tioned.