ملف ١٨٥٥\١٩٠٤ الجزء ٧ "علم الكويت." [و‎‎١‎٨‎٧] (١٥٤/٣٥)

[Confidential.]
No. 2478, dated Bushire, the aist (received 29th) October 1906.
From Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., Political Resident in the Persian Gulf,
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To-Sm Louis W. Dane K.C.I.E., C.S.I., Secretary to the Goverament of India
in the Foreign Department, Simla.
men/ofTndia 6 h ° n0Ur t0 report the followin g» for the information of the Govern-
C, .re I L w f s ru , moured loc ? ,1 y some three weeks ago that certain packages for
Sheikh Mubarak, overcamed to Basrah, had been detained by the Customs
here for duty, which the British India Steam Navigation Company demurred
to pay. I was awaiting confirmation from Koweit or Basrah before mention-
ing the incident to Government. n
Mr Consul Crow has since been good enough to send me news of it and
writes that the cargo m question has been impounded and a demand for full duty
made on the ground that Koweit is Ottoman territory and has no Custom House.
He adds that the Central Turkish Customs have issued strict orders for the
treatment of Koweit and^B akgi n as ports of the Turkish Empire for Customs
purposes, and that His Majesty s Embassy at Constantinople think it undesirable
to raise any question as to the status of Keweit for the sake of the duty on two
bales of goods. He has accordingly advised the British India Agents to endea
vour to re-ship the goods to Bombay.
3* The decision of His Majesty’s Ambassador at Constantinople was no
doubt arrived at after full consideration of the circumstances, and I am not pre
pared to question the wisdom of it.
On the other hand, I think the Government of India will realise from the
past history of our dealings with the Ruler of Koweit that this is just one of
those incidents which Sheikh Mubarak most resents, and which inevitably impress
him with the timidity of our support; and that as long as it is considered neces
sary that our policy in regard to him should follow such lines, the Government
of India cannot expect Sheikh Mubarak to be whole-hearted or single-minded in
his dealings with their local representatives.
There is no direct evidence to show that his recent hesitation to carry out
his undertaking in regard to the use of the distinctive flag is due to this incident,
but I may say this, that if I had known of it in time, I should have asked Captain
Knox to postpone any communication to Mubarak with a view to the introduc
tion of the new flag, until a more propitious opportunity presented itself.
G. C. Press, SimIa.--No. C. 378 F.D.— 7 * 11 * 06 .— 57 —B.B.S.