"ملف VII\١. الاتصال التلغرافي بالكويت." [و‎‎٣‎١] (٥٧٤/٦١)

From—L ieutenant-Colonel P. Z. Cox, C.S.L, C.I.E., Political Resident in the
To J. B. Wood, Esq., I.C.S., Officiating Secretary to the Government of India
in the Foreign Department, Simla.
With reference to paragraph 2 of my letter Mo. 1512, cated 5th June 1910
and to the previous correspondence which has passed between the Government
of India and myself on the subject of telegraphic communication with Kuwait, I
2. I need not trouble Government with a repetition of views and arguments
already figuring in the previous correspondence, in favour of the linking up of
Kuwait. They do not appear to have lost any force generally during the last
. Meanwhile the Arms Traffic menace has become much more acute;—
particularly, at present, the contraband traffic into and out of Kuwait the sup
pression or control of which is of just as much importance to the Porte in
Turkish Arabia as it is to Great Britain in the Persian Gulf. The position then
is that at the present juncture we have the most obvious and cogent grounds for
making wireless telegraphic connection with Kuwait, solely as an item of our
Arms Blockade operations, and I submit that if the project is so proceeded with,
as a blockade urgency, the Porte will be unable to oppose to the measure such
arguments as at other times they might seek to introduce, to the effect that the
connection is neither seriously needed nor likely to pay commercially, or that it
is an alteration of the status quo.
Heaving regard to the trend of Turkish policy under the new regime it
seems clear that the longer we defer action the more difficult will it become,
while the specific and excellent opportunity which is offered us at present will
lapse with the cessation of our blockade or the achievement of a political under
standing with France for the control of the traffic, and will never occur again.
I earnestly hope, therefore, that the Government of India will feel able to
press the measure upon His Majesty’s Government and urge the advantage of
acting at once.
Locally it is always the first step which is difficult in these matters, and in the
present case, once a wireless station is installed, even ostensibly as a temporary
measure, the Kuwait public will come to appreciate the utility and convenience
of it while the Basra authorities will get used to it so that any subsequent diffi
culty in making the station a permanency would seem to be unlikely.
No. C-38 (Confidential), dated Kuwait, the 19th June 1910.
From— Captain W. H. I. ShakespeaR, I.A., Political Agent, Kuwait,
To—The Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire.
I have the honour to invite a consideration of the correspondence ending
with your Second Assistant’s endorsement, No, 275, dated the 3rd February
1907, regarding the possible extension of the Bushire-Fao Telegraph cable
to Fao.
2. All the reasons, political and commercial, which have been advanced
already in favour of establishing telegraphic communication with Kuwait, apply
with added force at this date, 3 years later, in view of the recent political
changes in Turkey and the natural commercial growth of Kuwait. At that time
I understand it was found that the initial cost of laying the necessary cable-loop
and subsequent annual expenditure on the local station would be quite incom
mensurate with the possible advantages.
Persian Gulf,
the Political Agent in the same connection.
Kuwait No. C.^S, dated 19th June 1910.
I have the honour to forward a copy of
a communication addressed to me by
J