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'File 2/4 I TAXATION OF SHAIKH’S DATE GARDENS.' [‎100r] (204/640)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (316 folios). It was created in 3 Nov 1914-12 Dec 1930. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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.. . *\i
i /OQ | '
v^ 7
9 * Oob^ect to l®r«Anders an* b cone irreme aM to
tr t © concurronoe of tJic Cocretar^ of State for India, who
is also being consulted on the subject, Lord Pasafield
would propose to infom the High Commissioner that His
HaJestj 1 © GoTorment consider that these obligations to the
two Shaitt® properly fell to he dealt with under Article 4
of the 193a treaty, and that he should therefore approach
the Ira& Government once more with the request that
they should honour these undertaking* which His Majesty*s
Government regard a© freaty obligations which the Iraq
Government are bound, in virtue of Article 4 of the 1933
Treaty, to Implement. The High Comiss loner would, at
the same time, be given discretion to ma£® such use as he
considers fit of the arguments referred to In the
preceding paragi*aphs of this letter and authorised to iuf03
the Iraq Government that, if they are unwilling to honour
these undertakings, His Majesty’s Government will have no
alternative but to oXa im that the ma<Jtcr should be
referred to arbitration uiider Article IV of the 1923 Treaty#
Lord Passfield would also propose to Instruct the High
Commissioner to suggest to the Iraq Government that they
should endeavour to effect a final settlement with the
Shaikh of Mohammerah by offering him a lump sum in
respect of Ms claim to exemption from taxation. Th* mm
of the Shaikh of Kuwait should present less difficulty
since the High Commissioner is in a position to Invite the
Iraq Government to agree that, In virtue of the shaikh*s
position as an independent foreign sovereign, they h&m
no alternative but to accord to Mm immunity from taxation
in respect of his property in Iraq*
10# If the Iraq Governamnt are doubtftil of their
ab ility/

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Content

The volume contains correspondence related to the date gardens owned by the Shaikh of Kuwait, Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ, and the Shaikh of Mohammerah, Khaz'al al-Ka'bi, in southern Iraq. In particular, the correspondence concerns the Government of Iraq's intention to end the immunity from taxation (on the gardens) that had been granted to the former ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Mubārak Āl Ṣabāḥ, and the Shaikh of Mohammerah by the British Government in return for their military support against the Ottoman Empire in the First World War. The volume contains letters (ff 16-20), dated November 1914, from the British Resident and Consulate-General, Bushire, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , to both shaikhs in respect to this issue. The volume also contains correspondence between British officials discussing the British Government's obligations to Kuwait and how it should react to the Government of Iraq's plans.

The Iraq Government had considered and continues to consider that the exemption from taxation is illegal. This issue was discussed in an extract of an article that appeared in Al-Iraq newspaper and published in 1927, in which the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. gives the exact amount (12.000 Turkish gold liras per year, or 100.000 in the past 7 years) Iraq was losing annually as a result of the exemption from taxes granted to the two shaikhs.

The British officials had direct correspondence with the Council of Ministers, Iraq. They conveyed the British Government’s approval to the Government of Iraq to open up direct negotiations with the Shaikhs of Kuwait and Mohammerah regarding their revenue exemptions. Correspondence between the High Commissioner, Baghdad, and the Government of Iraq were made as early as 1924 in regard to the issue. The correspondence between the British officials includes articles of the Anglo-Iraq Treaties as well as reports prepared by the Law Officer of the Crown, Downing Street (ff 116-123).

The volume also contains correspondence between Sayid Hamid Bey Al-Naqib, Basra Deputy to the Ruler of Kuwait, and Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir conveying to him the procedures taking place in Iraq regarding his date gardens. Al-Naqib also paid visits to the Shaikh on behalf of the Government of Iraq. The volume also includes statements of the properties of both Shaikhs between the years 1914-1928.

Extent and format
1 volume (316 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 318; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Additional foliation sequences are present in parallel between ff 4-313; these numbers are also written in pencil but, where circled, are crossed through.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 2/4 I TAXATION OF SHAIKH’S DATE GARDENS.' [‎100r] (204/640), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/5/135, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100048076220.0x000005> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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