'XXII/17 Boundary between Koweit & Katif Territory' [‎33v] (68/78)

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and for the arming of my influential friends and dependents for their personal
use and protection, such arms and ammunition as I may need and apply for in
such fashion as may be arranged hereatter, through 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. , Bahrein.
The number of arms, thus annually imported shall not exceed i,ooo rifles per
annum with 400 rounds of ammunition per rifle and two pistols shall, for this pur
pose, be considered as equivalent to one rifle.
The British Government, on its side, in consideratron of the undertaking
into which 1 now enter, agrees to pay me a subsidy of Rs. 1,000 per mensem, to
be paid regularly to me, or to my duly authorised agent at Bahrein through 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. , Bahrein.
I, Shaikh Abdulla, further, in particular, undertake to receive, should the
British Government deem it advisable, an Agent from the British Government
who shall remain at A 1 Bidaa for the transaction of such business as the British
Government mav have with me and to watch over the interests of British traders,
residing at my Ports or visiting them upon their lawful occasions.
The Customs import dues upon British Goods shall not exceed those levied
from my own subjects on their goods and shall in no case exceed 5 per cent ad
valorem. British subjects and their goods shall be liable to the payment of no
other dues, taxes, or service of any other kind whatsoever beyond that already
specified. I, Shaikh Abdulla, further undertake that I will not have relations nor
correspond with nor receive, the agent of any other Power without the consent
of the High British Government ; Neither will I without such consent, cede, to
any other Power or its subjects, laid either on lease, sale, transfer, gift or in
any other way whatsoever.
I also declare that, without the consent of the High British Government,
I will not grant any monopolies, concessions or cable landing rights to anyone
whomsoever.
On their pxrt, the High British Government, in consideration of these
Treaties and Rngagements that I have entered into with them, undertakes to
protect me and my subjects and territory from ail aggression by sea and to do their
utmost to exact reparation for all injuries that I, or my subjects, my suffer when
proceeding to sea upon our lawful occasions.
They also undertake to grant me good offices, should l or my subjects be
assailed by land within the territories of Qatar. It is, however, thoroughly under
stood that this obligation rests upon the British Government only in the event
of such aggression, whether by land or sea, being unprovoked by any act or
aggression on the part of myself or my subjects against others.
In token wdiereof, I, Major S. G. Knox, 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, and I, Shaikh Abdulla bin Jasim bin Thani, have respectively signed and
affixed our seal to this original document and four copies thereof.
Dated at Signatures.
DRAFT.
Qatar Proclamativn } prohibiting the Traffic in Arms.
Be it known to all who may see this ;
Whereas it has become known to us that the traffic in Arms into Brftish
India, Persia, Kuwait, Bahrein and the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. is prohibited,
I, the undersigned, Abdullah bin Jasim bin Thani, Shaikh of Qatar, have
decided to do all in my power to assist the British Government in putting a stop
to this illegal traffic and I hereby declare that, from the date of this proclamation,
the impoitation of Arms, Cartridges and all munitions into our territory and the
exportation of the same to other places are absolutely prohibited. All Arms
and Ammunition, imported into Qatar territory or exported theretrom, will, in
future, be liable to seizure, and confiscation.
That it may not be hidden.
Date
CSgFD—44-11 -S-i^—GCBP Simla.
Signature.