'File II. IRAQ (3) Vol. 1 Shaikh of Kuwait's Date Gardens on the Shatt-al Arab. (Kuwait's relations with Turkish Govt. and Turkish demand that Kuwaitis should take out Turkish Nationality Certificates)' [‎297r] (611/636)

No. 2939 (Confidential), dated Bushire, 12 th (received 20 th) November 1911 .
From— Captain L. R. Bird WOOD, I. A., First Assistant Resident, (In the absence
of the Resident),
To—The Hon’ble Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Henry McMahon, K.C.I.E., C.S.I.,
Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department,
Simla.
With reference to Colonel Cox’s telegrams Nos. 1084 and 1085 of October
24th, 1911, I have the honour to forward, for the information of the Government
.. „ „ . ^ L of India, a copy of the communication
No. 55, dated 31st October iqii. . , V * j r it- n/r •
marginally noted, received from His Majes
ty’s Consul at Basrah, regarding the dredging of the Bar at the entrance of the
Shatt-al-Arab and the purchase of land in Basrah by Messrs. Wonckhaus & Co.,
on behalf of the Baghdad Railway Company.
Despatch No. 55 , dated 31 st October 191 t.
From—His Majesty's Consul, Basrah,
To—His Majesty^ Ambassador at Constantinople.
With reference to mv telegrams Nos. 148 and 149 of the 23rd instant, I
have the honour to report to Your Excellency that Mr. C. Darby, the local
manager of Messrs. Strick, Scott & Co,, Limited, of London, informed me
on the 23rd instant that the Vali had requested him to tender for the dredging
of the Bar at the entrance to the Shatt-al-Arab. The Vali told Mr Darby
that he would obtain a concession for him and spoke of purchasing two dredgers
at a cost of ^50,000 each. He stated that a company would have to be formed
in accordance with Turkish law, and registered at Constantinople, but that there
would be no difficulty about this. The Vali did not press for an immediate
answer, and Mr. Darby has reported the Vali’s conversation to his London
Office.
The proposal is interesting as showing that the Turkish Government is still
preoccupied with the Bar. It may be mentioned here that a dredger, brought out
some years after Midhat Pasha’s achievements in the Gulf region, has been
rusting for thirty years on the bank of the river opposite Basrah.
It has been reported for some time past that Messrs. Wonckhaus & Co.,
the local Agents of the Hamburg-America Line, are endeavouring to acquire land
in Basrah on behalf of the Baghdad Railway Company. I am now in posses
sion of reliable information that this firm has been in negotiation with Abdul
Wahab Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , one of the Deputies of Basrah (my Despatch No. 53 of the 18th
ultimo), for the purpose of a plot of ground on the river between Maghil and
Ghermet Ali owned by the Zuhair family. When Baghdad Railway material
arrives in Basrah, a depot will be necessary for storing it, pending its despatch
to Baghdad. Abdul Wahab Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. departed for Constantinople on the 26th
instant, and it is stated that no sale has been effected, but l am without definite
information on this point.
A German engineer of the Baghdad Railway, wffio passed through Basrah a
few weeks ago, stated that the company would shortly send out twelve steamers
and twenty-four barges, to convey railway material from Basrah to Baghdad. I
am informed that Emin Bey, the local agent of the Idareh-i-Nehrieh, states that
the Baghdad Railway Company has arranged to send out six steamers, which
will work in connection with the Idareh steamers. According to Emin Bey,
three of these steamers will ultimately become the property of the Idareh. Pos
sibly no definite arrangements have been made yet.
I transmit herewith a translation of the decision of the Administrative
Council of the Basrah Vilayet of August 10th, 1911, respecting the proposed sale
for ^T. 180,000 of the “ Senieh ” date gardens at Dawasir, to Jasim bin Ibrahim,
a member of a pearl-dealing firm established in Bombay. I am informed that,
before applying for this land, Jasim bin Ibrahim took the precaution of having