"الكويت، ١٩٠٨-١٩٢٨" [‎١‎٠] (١٤/١)

CONFIDENTIAL. Ahrcrit
INDIA OFFICE,
KOWEIT, 1908-1928.
A.—Administration.
1. Sheikh Ahmad-al Jabir, C.LE. (January 1922', born 1885, has ruled
Koweit since March 1921, when his succession to his uncle, Sheikh Salim
(born 1864, succeeded 1917, died 23rd February 1921), who had ruled
since the death of Sheikh Jabir Ibn Mabarak in 1917, was recognised by His
Majesty’s Government, subject, it would appear, to agreement to impose
and enforce through his territory such further restrictions on the arms
traffic as might be considered desirable. On the invitation of His Majesty’s
Government, the Sheikh visited the United Kingdom in October 1919, as
the representative of his uncle, with the son of Ibn Sand, and was received
by the King. His Excellency is entitled to a permanent salute of seven
guns, the number having been reduced from 12 (personal) on his accession.
2. The principality is an independent Arab State, under British
protection, but not a British protectorate. 0 Its ruler is precluded by his
engagements, of which an abstract is printed in the Precis of Treaties
appended to this Memorandum, from receiving foreign representatives, and
from ceding, leasing, mortgaging, or giving for occupation, or any other
purpose, any portion of its territory to any foreigner or foreign Power
without the sanction of His Majesty’s Government; he is bound to suppress
slave traffic and to prohibit traffic in arms within his territories ; and he has
agreed not to give a concession for oil, or for pearl fishing, without the
approval of His Majesty’s Government.
3. The internal administration is conducted by the Sheikh, assisted in
theory by an elected Council of Advisers (two from the Subah or reigning
family, four from the inhabitants, elected for one year), acceptance of
which was made for the first time a condition of recognition by the people
of Koweit on the accession of the present Sheikh.f The Council, though
duly elected, has, however, never met.;}:
4. His Majesty’s Government and the Government of India are
represented by the Political Agent (at present Major J. C. More, D.S.O.),
an appointment created in 1904, maintained since that date save for a brief
interval in 1905, and borne on the cadre of the Indian Political Department.
The Political Agent is directly subordinate to the Political Resident in the
Persian Gulf. He does not hold His Majesty’s Commission as a Consul or
exercise Consular functions. Under the Koweit Order in Council of 1925
(see paras. 24-27 below), he is the District Magistrate and Sessions Judge,
and exercises his powers subject to the jurisdiction of the Political Resident
in the Persian Gulf; the limits of his jurisdiction are the territories and
territorial waters of Koweit, and he exercises jurisdiction inter alius
over British subjects and protected persons, and over the subjects and
protected persons (not being subjects or protected persons of Muslim
Governments) of Foreign States in respect of whom the Foreign States
concerned may agree to the exercise of such jurisdiction.
5. The effect of the recommendations of the Masterton-Smith Committee
of 1921 was to leave control of the internal administration and affairs of
Koweit to the Government of India (to whom, and not to His Majesty’s
Government, the Political Resident in the Gulf was instructed in 1924 to
look for orders regarding them), subject to the general control of His
Majesty’s Government, and to the prior concurrence of the Colonial Office
in matters of political significance. Questions of policy, especially questions
affecting relations with Ibn Sand, fell to be dealt with by the Colonial Office.
The question of the channels through which the instructions of His Majesty’s
Government are to issue on matters affecting the Principality is dealt with
in para. 5 of the Note on Political Control in the Persian Gulf on page
6. Expenditure on Koweit is divided between His Majesty’s Government
and the Government of India. In the latest year for which figures are
available (1926-7) it amounted to Rs. 45,683, plus payments in respect of
pension contribution amounting to Rs. 9,423, a total of Rs. 55,106.
2979c 75 10.28
C.O. to H.C., Iraq, April 2
1921, P. 1758/21.
P. 4321/22.
* Vicerov's tel. 1175 S.,
Oct. 8 1920, P. 7455.
t Tel. from H.C., Iraq, to
O. O., March 4 1921,
P. 1376/21.
X Major More’s Report.
1927, p. 2 (P. 2417/28).
Lor. ii, 1O39-40.
Of. P. 1836/24 and 540 a/23.
M.S. Committee Report,
para. 12.
P. 3108/28.