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25. 'When these proposals were being discussed, the Political Resident
(Colonel Meade) telegraphed on 25th
Secret E., Maj 1897, No*. 101*115.
February 1897 :—
“ Sheikh Mubarak of Kowcit wishes interview with me or othor on my part. Would it
be expedient with roforcncc to my letter of 8rd October.”
This last letter is quoted above (see paragraph 20.)
26. The Secretary of State, whose
No. 103 of Proceeding* cited.
instructions wore asked, wired on 2-ith
March 1897.
"In Lord Salisbury’s opinion it seems desirablo that Sheikh should have interview, but
he thinks that the matter might he perhaps best left to the Resident’s consideration.” *
27. Meanwhile Captain Whyte, who had been Consul at Basrah, had left
the place and on his arrival at Constanti­
No. 108 of Do.
nople placed before Sir P. Currie a
memorandum ho had drawn upon 22nd March, which throws much light on the
politics of Koweit at that time :—
° I have perused Mr. Stavrides's memorandum regarding Kowcit and the recent assassina­
tion of Sheikhs Mohammed and Jarrah, and I propose to indicate the points on which the in­
formation which reached me at Bassorah differs from his.
Mr. Stavrides’s geographical description of Kowcit appears to be entirely correct. He
states that the reigning family of Koweit-, before the assassination of the two Sheikhs, consisted
o( four brothers. I believe it to havo consisted of five brothors, the four whose names he mo­
tions and a fUth named Sheikh Jabber. I may mention that Sheikh Jabber called on me
whep I wa$,at Fao in November 1897, and described himself as Sheikh Mubarak’s brother.
Mr. Stavrides describes Koweit as being entirely independent, but it seems to vie that the
acceptance by the Sheikh of an appointment of the Sultan as a Kaimmakam precludes the potsi*
bility of any foreign power recognising under the present conditions his independence. The
present Sheikh, Sheikh Mubarak, when at Fao in November 1S97, officially visited tho Tur­
kish Mudir of that place, a proceeding hardly consonant with the dignity of an independent
Arab Chief. The information which Mr. Stavrides has derived from Palace sources is, I
believe, wholly inaccurate. I was assured at Bassorah that Sheikh Mubarak’s sole object in
killing bis two brothers was to usurp the Sheikhdom and to possess himself of tho wealth,
6tated to be very considerable, which Siieikh Muhammad had accumulated. Of tho alliance
to which Mr. Stavrides refers I heard no mention. The Sheikh has sinco his usurpation been
employing his late brother’s wealth to secure his recognition as Sheikh, and his appointment of
Kaimmakam of Koweit by the sublimo Porte. In this he is reported to have succeeded. The
late Wali of Bassorah, Hamdi Pasha, refused, I believe, a bribe of £10,000, which tho Sheikh
offered for hi6 friendly offices with the Porte, and strongly urged that Mubarak should not be
recognised and that Koweit should be brought more directly under Turkish influence. The
present Wali has, it appears, received instructions to recognise tho usurper, who is described
as having bribed freely in Constantinople among others, the Sheikh-ul-Tslam and Sheikh
Abdul Huda, and I learned before my departure from Bassorah that Arili Pasha had accepted
a present of £67,0U0 from him. It is not improbable that there will be further trouble at
Koweit; the sons of the murdered Sheikh Mahomed are reported to have a considerable
following, and they will doubtless on the first favourable opportunity make an effort to
avenge the assassination of their father.”
28. The report that Mubarak was recognized as Sheikh and appointed Kaim
Makam (Sub-Governor) of Koweit about the close of the year 1897, was con-
firmed by. Captain Whyte’s successor Mr.
No. 113, Secret E., Juno 1899, No* 94-119.
Wratislaw in his letter No. 21, dated 22nd
April 1899. Meanwhile Sheikh Mubarak’s nephews (Hamud, Klialid, Sabah and
Sawu), sons of his murdered brother Mahomed, were agitating at Basrah against
the Sheikh, their material under Yusuf--ol-Ibrahim of Bora, a wealthy merchant,
who had a firm in Bombay—had espoused their cause. They sought, under his
influence, the protection of Ibn Rashid, Amir of Nejd. The Amir in his turn
tried to interest the Turkish Governmeut in their behalf.
29. It will be noted from tho words italicised in Captain Whyte’s njerao-
randum that be entirely traverses the statement of Mr Stavrides that the Sheikh
of Koweit is independent. In view of those confliciting statements, Sir P. Currie,
Her Majesty’s Ambassador at Constantinople, enquired what was tho view o
Her Majesty’s Government in regard to tho Turkish authority. Tho answer
was as follows:—
u Her Majesty's Government has never admitted that Koxoeitis under the
protection of the Turkish Government. But since it is under Turkish wjiutnoe,
it is doubtful, whether we could deny the latter"