'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.' [‎143v] (291/386)

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military officer of tlie British Empire. ,> I instructed Colonel Kemball to re
port to*me upon the exact nature and application of the Sheikh’s request : but
I expressly warned the latter that it might not be found possible to grant them.
In accordance with a telegram received from you on the morning of my arrival
at Koweit, I further warned the Sheikh against entanglements in the interior in
which he could neither expect nor receive our support, and he promised
implicit compliance with my advice. This should be the more easy if, as re
ported by him, the Wahabi candidate for the Chiefs hip of Keid, Abdur
Bahman-bin-Feysal, who is his ally, has been generally successful, and has
vanquished his opponent Ibn llashid.
13. I nuty add that Sheikh Mubarak, though now an elderly man, is by far
tbe most masculine and vigorous personality whom I encountered in the Gulf.
He seemed to me to possess a very acute intelligence, and a character which
justified his general reputation for cunning, and explained the fratricidal steps
by which he had attained to his present position. His protestations of loyalty
and friendship were, however, in my opinion, sincere : and I further learned
that he shows to the officers of all British ships, and to English travellers arrive
ing at Koweit, exceptional hospitality and consideration.
14. Hie question of the Baghdad Railway has called special attention in
recent years to the ports or harbours at the upper end of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ;
and I accordingly ullilised my visit to Koweit to inspect these in company with
the Admiral. While lying otf Koweit, we made an examination of Kadhama
Bay to the west of the town. Leaving the fleet, we then made a tour of two
days in the Lawrence, piloted by Commander Kemp in the “ Sphinx,” in the
course of which we fully explored Khor Abdulla (the probable maritime
terminus of a railway from Baghdad) up to the Turkish post recently planted
at Um Kasr. Passing to the Persian shores of the Gulf, beyond the estuary
of the Shat-el-Arab, we then similarly explored Khor Musa, the very con
siderable inlet, leading to excellent and well-protected anchorages, which
might some day be made the port of a railway descending from the interior of
Persia to the sea. The results of these investigations will form the subject of
a separate despatch.
15. On the morning of 2nd December the squadron arrived at Busbire. I
was unable to land there owing to difficulties, the nature of which I have fully
explained in my letter No. 118-C. of 10th December; but in the course of the
Fnrio S ,.rpVn vt t wo days which I spent at anchor off the
town, I received a deputation of the
British^merchants and subjects residing there, and replied to them in the speech
which is forwarded herewith.
16. Here I parted with Sir A. Hardinge, who had shown the warmest desire
to co-operate in the objects of my cruise, and who was equally vexed with
myself at the contretemps that had occurred at the sole spot where it had been
proposed that I should land upon Persian soil. During our many conversations
we discussed the subjects of British and Indian interests in Seistan, tlie Seistan
boundary demarcation, the proposed removal of the Uashmat-ul-Mulk, the
attitude of the Belgian Customs officers, the Russo-Belgo-Persian policy on
the Baluch frontier, the extension of the Indian and Indo-European telegraphs
to Seistan, the channels of correspondence between our Consul in Seistan and
the British Legation at Tehran, the appointment of Russian telegraph-
signallers in Central Persia, and the extension of Russian telegraphs in the
north, the Reglement Douanier, the recent loan to the Persian Government
and the question of the Southern Customs, the maintenance of the British
quarantine officers in the Gulf, the raising of Bakhtiari and Lur levies or
road-guards, the location and functions of British Consular officers, whether
appointed from the Levant A geographical area corresponding to the region around the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Service or from India, in Southern Persia and the
Culf, and the political and strategical defence of the interests of Great
Britain in her legitimate sphere of influence by land and by sea. The results
of these discussions and the recommendations of the Government of India
will in many cases form the subject of later representation to IIis Majesty’s
Government.