'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎42v] (89/386)

q permanent A^ent at Koweit would be a departure fiomilic sf(tfus (juo \ tbat
f or tlie present the Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. or one of his existing officers
was the best channel of communication with Koweit ; and that, if closer touch
with Koweit should subsequemly be found necessary, it could best be established
by temporary visits of a selected officer to Koweit, repeated at intervals until his
residence became practically permanent. Ihis being tbe position of affairs,
Lord Curzon, in January 1904, proposed to send an Indian medical subordinate
to Koweit to establish and hold charge of a British post office, for which the
Sheikh had expressed a desire, and to render medical services, of which the
town stood in urgent need. Tiie proposal was approved by the Home Govern
ment, and an undertaking was obtained from the Sheikh not to permit the
establishment at lioweitof a post office of any other foreign country; hut when
the scheme was on tbe point of being carried out, it bad to be postponed to
avoid prejudicing negotiations which were then proceeding for the evacuation
of Bubiyan by the Turks. Meanwhile, in May 1904, Sir N. O’Conor bad
renewed his suggestion tbat a political officer should be appointed to Koweit,
the ground of his recommendation this time being tbat the Turks persisted iu
actively supporting I bn Bash id; and the Government of India immediately
announced their readiness to give effect to tbe scheme. In June 1904 His
Majesty’s Government accorded their sanction, and at the beginning of August
Captain Knox, the first 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. , arrived at Koweit, the Hospital Assist
ant being still detained at Bushire as tbe time was not considered suitable for
the opening of a British post office; in October however be was permitted to
join 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. , but only in bis medical capacity. In November 1904
the?Porte objected to Captain Knox’s presence in Koweit as an innovation
affecting the status quo ; they were told tbat, though his sojourn was tempor
ary, His Majesty’s Government reserved tbe right to send an officer to Koweit
whenever they chose. In view of other questions pending with Turkey, how-
ever, His Majesty’s Government considered it expedient to direct Captain
Knox’s withdrawal. Lord Ampthill, who at this time was acting as Viceroy
of India, deprecated the immediate withdrawal of Captain Knox; and, the
circumstances which had made haste desirable having also ceased to operate,
His Majesty’s Government agreed to a delay. Eventually in May 1905 Captain
Knox fell ill and was withdrawn until tbe following October, when he returned
and the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. was established on a permanent footing.
In September 1904 several cases occurred of unwarrantable interference
with Koweit boats by tbe Persian Imperial Customs, and a protest was made
by the Government of India which brought tbe status of Koweitis in Persia
into discussion. This question is still unsettled ; but it s p ems that tbe Persian
Government, while in principle not averse to the protection of Koweitis in Persia
by tbe British authorities, are reluctant to concede the point in practice le't by
doing so they should give umbrage to Turkey. In July 1905 the Sheikh of
Koweit agreed, on the advice of tbe British Government, to adopt a distinctive
colour for Koweit shipping, resembling tbe Turkish flag but differentiated from
'it by the addition of the word “ Koweit ” in Arabic characters, and to require
a special form of certificate of nationality to be carried by Koweit vessels.
Ihe viceroyalty of Lord Curzou synchronised almost exactly with a great
Central Arabia. internal struggle in Nejd or Central
Arabia, by which tbe political situation
there was in the end completely transformed. Nejd is a large tract of country,
completely surrounded by deserts, and falling naturally into the three divisions
of Jabal Shamniar or Northern Nejd, Kasim or Middle Nejd, and Southern
Nejd which has no more distinctive name. The political predominance in Nejd
has rested for more than a century with one of two rival families ; during most
of tbat period it has been held by the Wahabi family of Ibn Saud, who are the
hereditary rulers of the southern division, but in recent years it has belonged
to the Shammar family of Ibn Rashid whose seat is in the north at Hail: the
local chiefs in the intermediate district of Kasim have ordinarily occupied a
position of semi-independence between tbe two. In 1899, however, the power
of Ibn Rashid bad been for several years supreme throughout Central Arabia,
and the middle and southern tracts had sunk into mere dependencies of Jabal