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Coll 17/18(1) 'Smuggling between Kuwait and Iraq' [‎542r] (1088/1354)

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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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1 ■«"
■x a ?Is-t;ion of letter £Jo '\f r \/’\*> r *jl a *.
Jamd than! 1352 (3rd October d g, ted th e ISth
ohaikb oir Ahiaad al Jabir as- --nb«h * is ^oellency
Ruler of Kuwait, to the Polltical* 1 l*aatj^Kuwait;^* >
After Coiapliments,
iVlth reference to our verbal complaint with regard
to the armed Fao Customs launch, X beg to inform Tour
ifccellenqy that the presence and activities of the said launch
in the shallow waters north and west of the Island of Maschan
have been confirmed. Ore most recent occasion on which the i
caid launch was seen there, was by some waterboat nakhudas
who ply backwards and forwards between Kuwait and Fao. These
saw her on Wednesday the 27th September 19S3 (i.e.eth Jamad
thani 1352) in the morning at about 3 O' Clock Arabic
(8*20 A # 1.) • Other nakhudas also depose to have seen her
in the same place and on the same day at 1*50 Arabic time
(7*A.i4e)e 8he was again seen (also by water boat nakhudag)
on Thursday the 28th September 1933 (i*e, on the 7th Jamad
thani 1352) in the evening at about 11 0 f Clock Arabic
(4*20 P*M.). aaall boat-owners engaged in the Fao Kuwait
terry service from whom enquiry has also been made state
that the above are not the only days on which the launch
has been seen in Kuwait waters, but that on several other
occasions prior to the ones mentioned above she has been
seen moving about and keeping watch in and about the par
ticular waters in question*
I therefore beg to draw your attention to this
transgression, which I never would have thought the Chief
Fao Customs officer would have for a moment countenanced*
I request that you be so good as to refer the matter to
the authorities concerned and ask them to put an immediate
stop to these activities, which are being practised by the
Chief Customs Officer (at Fao)* I make this protest and
request lest a serious misunderstanding take place which
may well spoil the relations of two good neighbours*
Usual finding.

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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.

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English in Latin script
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Coll 17/18(1) 'Smuggling between Kuwait and Iraq' [‎542r] (1088/1354), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2878, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100063011517.0x000059> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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