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Coll 17/18(1) 'Smuggling between Kuwait and Iraq' [‎49r] (102/1354)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (673 folios). It was created in 28 Jul 1932-15 Jun 1935. It was written in English. 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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£15,000 in 1934 (the duty on which would have been £10,000), yet
there is little doubt that the laryer part slips through the
patrols*
2. An Important feature of the problem is that the actual
siaU g lers are said to be rarely } oweitis, although opinions differ
as to the part played by a "professional” element domiciled in
"oweit. 'he bulk of the traffic is carried on across the land
frontier by tribes:sen (largely if not entirely raqi or iejdi)
either „rofessional
smup c .; }
1 p>'-
or sinply tribesmen who take
advantage of a seasonal migration from !,.oweit back into Iraq, to
bring in small tities of contraband. Smuggling by sea is said
by Colonel Dickson to be largely ran by small Iraqi boats trading
with Koweit P assisted by oweiti dhows, rat although the coast is
favourable it is not longhand the Iraqis have been able to keep
it within bounds by their armed launch patrols.
. 3.The part played by doweit is almost enf pMim ^
nerchant community confine themselves to selling tneir goods ano.
not asking questions. The capital and the organisation for the
contraband trade originate in Iraq, mainly (as the Iraqi autuori-
ties admit) in Basrah* It is this fact that 1-enas weight to the
Sheikh's contention that it is for Iraq to prevent smuggling on
her frontier and that owelt*s contribution can be limited to
controlling exports by sea through a system of manifests. But
nit her to tae Iraqi Government have siiruna from attempting to
establish an effective preventive system, and they leave a few
scattered police posts and a number of car patrols to gnard a
i.esert frontier of 150 miles. They believe, probably rigntly,
tliat

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Content

The volume contains papers regarding the alleged smuggling of goods from Kuwait to Iraq, and attempts to broker Often a local commercial agent in the Gulf who regularly performed duties of intelligence gathering and political representation. an agreement between the Shaikh of Kuwait (Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ) and the Government of Iraq with regards to importation restrictions, customs appointments and effective frontier controls. It consists of correspondence between the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, 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 The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , 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 Kuwait, HM High Commissioner (and later Ambassador) at Baghdad, as well as communications received from Al Sabah and representatives of the Government of Iraq.

The file opens with correspondence concerning the activities of Kuwaiti water boats collecting drinking water at various points along the Shatt el-Arab: the Government of Iraq complained that the boats were not stopping at designated calling points, and that the boats were engaged in smuggling, while the Shaikh of Kuwait asked for the calling point requirement to be rescinded as it was causing interruptions to the water supply. The correspondence also documents instances where Iraqi customs barges had fired on Kuwaiti boats, killing and injuring merchants.

The bulk of the correspondence concerns efforts by HM Ambassador at Iraq, the 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 The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and 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 Kuwait, to broker Often a local commercial agent in the Gulf who regularly performed duties of intelligence gathering and political representation. an agreement between the two parties. Several conferences were arranged with a view to discussing the Iraqi proposals, viz: that a British Customs Director be appointed at Kuwait to oversee the importation of certain commodities (principally sugar, tea, matches, coffee, tobacco, cigarettes, and cigarette papers); and that the Shaikh co-operate with Iraqi efforts to institute an effective frontier control and customs cordon.

In addition to correspondence, the volume includes the following minutes and reports:

The volume includes dividers which give lists of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. These are placed at the end of the correspondence (folios 4-5).

Extent and format
1 volume (673 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front 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 675; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 4-672; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 17/18(1) 'Smuggling between Kuwait and Iraq' [‎49r] (102/1354), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2878, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100063011512.0x000067> [accessed 25 April 2024]

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