Coll 17/18(1) 'Smuggling between Kuwait and Iraq' [120r] (244/1354)
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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
3.
will be prepared to negotiate some alternative but equally
effective solution. Without such assurance it is useless
for His Majesty’s Government to approach Sheikh, while to
give it need not in any way debar Iraqi Government from
reverting later to their present demands, if negotiations on
reasonable basis fail,
6 . Urgency of matter is due to threats of Iraqi Government,
How that His Majesty’s Government are actively intervening, I
trust that these can, for the time at any rate, be laid aside.
His Majesty’s Government have no objection to creation of strong
Iraqi preventive force on frontier, which would indeed form part
of any proposal of theirs for a settlement. Cannot Iraqi
Government budget for institution of such a force at once? This
might help to reassure their own public opinion and might also
help His Majesty's Government in persuading Sheikh to be reasonable,
7. Meanwhile I shall be glad if either with or without
further consultation with Iraqi authorities you will confirm at
earliest possible moment that Iraqi Government will be willing
to discuss settlement of this question on basis of appointment
of British or British Indian Customs Director of Koweit without
prejudice to further details of scheme which will be freely
worked out between interested parties and His Majesty’s Government,
Addressed to Bagdad No. 84, repeated to
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.
at Bushire No. 20 and Government of India No. 34.
About this item
- 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:
- Note by Colonel Dickson, 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, 'the Contraband problem of Iraq with her neighbours, and in particular how it affects Kuwait', ff 600-610.
- Memo by Yasin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. on the customs position between Iraq and Kuwait, ff 565-567.
- Note by Colonel Dickson on the drinking water available in Kuwait and vicinity, including sketch map, ff 492-500.
- 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. memo 'Smuggling between Koweit and Iraq', ff 349-363.
- Foreign Office figures for goods smuggled from Kuwait to Iraq, ff 214-222.
- Private Foreign Office memo on smuggling in the Gulf region, ff 48-64.
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 View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Coll 17/18(1) 'Smuggling between Kuwait and Iraq' [120r] (244/1354), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2878, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100063011513.0x00002d> [accessed 20 April 2024]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100063011513.0x00002d
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100063011513.0x00002d">Coll 17/18(1) 'Smuggling between Kuwait and Iraq' [‎120r] (244/1354)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100063011513.0x00002d"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000602.0x0001a4/IOR_L_PS_12_2878_0244.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000602.0x0001a4/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2878
- Title
- Coll 17/18(1) 'Smuggling between Kuwait and Iraq'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:222v, 225r:287v, 290r:387v, 389r:419v, 422r:424v, 426r:483v, 487r:522v, 526r:533v, 536r:541v, 543r:549v, 552r:556v, 561r:564v, 568r:578v, 581r:590v, 592r:594v, 597r:622v, 625r:626v, 628r:636v, 639r:659v, 663r:674v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence