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15
six officers of the Van'ag, rode out from Koweit to Jehara
(i8 miles), where they spent the night as Mubarak’s guests, and
/eft some presents behind them on their departure.
The Russian Consuls at Baghdad and Bushire have visited
Koweit during the course of the year, 1902. They both showed
themselves anxious to impress upon Mubarak the advantages of
Russian friendship and protection. The Russian cruiser
Askold and the Russian cruiser Boyarin in company with the
French ship Infernet w T ent there still more recently.
In January 1900, a German mission, composed of the
German Consul General at Constantinople, the Chief Engineer
of the Baghdad Railway (with certain technical assistants),
visited Koweit in connection with the proposed selection of
Kathama as the terminus of that railway. Mubarak declared
himself unable to grant a concession of any part of his territory
for this purpose.
A word must be said as to the relationship of Koweit with
Turkey. Mubarak asserts his entire independence, and the British
Government have on|many occasions insisted on the unsubstantial
char cler of the Sultan’s authority and have claimed for the Sheikh
a large measure of practical independence. Still the fact
remains that there have been relations between the two states,
which, however, on the whole do not seem to be entirely incon
sistent with the present claim to independence. Going back
some thirty years, Mubarak’s account is as follows :—
Feysul, ruler of Nejd, Bahrein, El Hasa, Katr, and Katif,
had four sons—Abdullah, Muhammed, Saood and Abdur Rahman.
After Feysul’s death, Abdullah succeeded, but Saood possessed
himself of El Katr, and Katif, and made war against Abdullah.
The latter appealed to the Wali of Baghdad, Midhat Pasha, for
assistance in 1871. At the same time, Saood had seized certain
Koweit ships at El Hasa, and had returned an evasive answer to
the remonstrances of the then Sheikh of Koweit, Muhammed.
At this juncture, the Wali of Baghdad offered Turkish
troops to operate against El Hasa and Katif. After taking coun
sel, it was decided that Koweit would co-operate with Abdullah
and the Turks against Saood. The Sheikh of Koweit provided
300 ships for transport, and put himself at the head of 7,000
mounted men and 12,000 camels. In six days, he defeated
Saood, and occupied the capital of El Hasa, with Hie support
of the Turkish troops. Sheikh Muhammed remained in El
Hasa eleven months, pacifying the country; after which he
returned to Koweit. Midhat Pasha, pleased with the way things
had gone, obtained for Sheikh Muhammed a yearly grant of
150 tons of dates (=perhaps ;£6oo), which was paid regularly
until 1898, since when the payment has not been made.*
*M. Siromyatnikoff say* that he was shown a copy of the “firman” under
which this grant wa* made, in which the Sheikh was described as "Sheikh of
Koareit.'’
Germany.
Turkey,