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'Koweit: A Report' [‎49r] (106/140)

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The record is made up of 2 volumes (60 folios). It was created in 1903. 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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17
number
ance bj
to that
:ish flag
>es have
on the
erts that
from the
his owe
probable
is adopt
specialh
f.
:o Grea
Minister
>u in the
ct of thr
ierred tr
we hav
; specia
Persia:
available
scarce!'
men a
re like!
'ak him
iy clos
of th:
ibesme:
tal, th
mriable
ance c
as sue:
vas «•
nity c
mp vva
andari
lization
There w'-rf- fiv< °r six such banners, or contingents, in camp,
and the total numbers present were said to be i,800 men The
force was turned out for inspection, when some r.ioo or 1 200
a Td”;r t ri - PUt ‘ D / n a l > P ear J ance , i bu t >t is only fair, perhaps, to
add that this parade was ordered at short notice, and there may
therefore have been an abnormal number of absentees. 1
The men are fine, well set up, and mostly tall. They were
all armed with Martmi-Kenry rifles, or carbines, and carried
well-filled cartridge belts. The uniformity of their dress and
fdZlTbr 8 Ve 7 Strikin ?’ and com P a red most favourably
«i h the retainers (one can hardly dignify them with any more
mihtary designation) of the Sultan of Muscat. But fine men as
they are, it is hard to believe that, as an armed force, they would
do any good against any organized or disciplined troops, without
European leading and training. 1
Pn the occasion of the review referred to, the troops
paraded by contingents, of about 200 men each. There was
much ringing and barbaric “music” with tom-tom accorapanb
ment, while he leaders danced a slow rhythmic waltz, in “rout of
then respective companies. It is hard to take a force which is
encouraged by a simulated epileptic fit, after aimless pirouet !
H& t a hSves. VCry Seri ° USly ’ eXCept When P ittcd a gainst otU
From descriptions of some of the fights which have taken
place between Mubarak's and Ibn Rashid! forces,t seems to
thtir tactics, like everything else, are those of their forefathers
b u t;r f'’fi cn j bes -j e S ac , tlcs of an Arab bat fe as being simple
but not wholly devoid of skill. The cavalry come to (he front
never straight for their opponents; a pretty display rf
vliileThe^r 13 f ° Iows ’^ th a popping fire of matchlocks. P Mean.
1 ■ t !\ ca 1 m . els and their riders, who form the main body
remain behind in reserve. When the arfion - i
serious, which jg th e case so soon as blood has bee^she^on
a ^ndoffieM Cam t IS i are madetokneel down, each becoming
a kind of field work for two musketeers under his cover • the
attackro^arex^el^if^onfid 8 ^ 8 ° 0d ea ^ est * tlU dank
bring on a general assault- Somefighton fooV^ tuS,'
of W l co pt ln ues till one side gives way. The people
of Nejd distinguish themselves from the rest of their Arab
kilkd anTthrce Pref u rr i ng slau « hter t0 i elsewhere two
and three wounded is generally the outside.
Towns, &c.
of iJdZZVf Ko - Weit lies on a sman projection, or tongue
• I he beach dries out to a considerable
Tactics.

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Content

Two copies of a report, marked as secret, on Koweit [Kuwait]. The report was compiled in the Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Department, by Captain H H Dowding, The Essex Regiment. It was printed at the Government Central Printing Office, Simla, 1903.

The report contains information on the geography, history, politics, military strength, administration, resources, climate, and communications of Kuwait. It includes appendices on routes and prominent families in the region.

The volume also contains a number of photographs and maps:

  • A photograph of the foreshore of Kuwait (folio 3)
  • A photograph of Mobarek-Bin-Subah [Mubārak bin Ṣabāḥ Āl Ṣabāḥ], Shaikh of Kuwait, and his youngest son Naser (folio 9)
  • A photograph of the residence of the Shaikh of Kuwait (folio 17)
  • A rough diagram of the village of Jehara (folio 31)
  • A map of Kuwait Harbour (folio 32)
  • A map of Kuwait and surrounding country (folio 33).

At the rear of the volume is an index, arranged alphabetically and with reference to the original pagination (folios 26-28).

Folio references given are for the first of the two copies. The second, identical copy runs from folio 34 to 66.

Extent and format
2 volumes (60 folios)
Arrangement

The report contains a table of contents (folio 6) and an index (folios 26-28) which is arranged in alphabetical order. Both refer to the original pagination.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: this file consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence commences at the front cover of volume one (ff 1-33) and terminates at the inside back cover of volume two (ff 34-66); 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.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'Koweit: A Report' [‎49r] (106/140), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/383, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100075142659.0x00006b> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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