Page 68 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

02
Lord Lansdowne subsequently said to Count 1901.
Metternich that it was necessary to bear in mind T°®rF.bwcelle*,
that where minor Eastern States were concerned September 28,
it was not unusual to find that they owed a 1901.
divided allegiance to more than one Power.
The German Memorandum states that JCowoit
lias an importance for Germany merely as the
proposed terminus of the Bagdad ltailway, and
gives an undertaking that the Manager of the
Railway Company will be instructed to come to
an understanding with the British Government
when the time for purchasing land for a railway
terminus and a landing-place at Koweit shall
have come. Count Metternich afterwards con- To Sir F. Lwcolles,
;
firmed this assurance in conversation with Lord Ociobor'ie 1901.
Lansdowne, adding that the railway might be
made five years or fifty years hence, or not at all,
but that when it was made it was important for
Germany to find a peaceful condition of things
in that part of the Gulf.
In consequence of a threatened attack by the Admiralty,
Emir of Nejd and Turkish troops upon Koweit, {yoj.mber
tho Commander of His Majesty’s ship “ Pomone,”
at the request of the Sheikh, landed guns for
the fort at Jehara, and made arrangements 1902.
for the defence of the town. Instructions were To Admiralty,
given to him to desist from these preparations Jauuarjr 1902,
as soon as Koweit was no longer threatened.
Representations on the subject were made by
tho Turkish Ambassador, who demanded the Anthopoulo Paahs,
re-embarkation of the guns aud the restoration Ju,iu&ry 9» 1902<
of tho status quo. He was informed, in reply, To Anthopoulo
that HiR Majesty’s Government considered their jjjjjjjjy 15 1902
proceedings to be justified so long as danger of
attack existed; and subsequently he was told To Anthopoulo
Pa«hu,
that the guns had been re-embarked.
January 25, 1902.
Early in 1902 the Turks departed from their
engagements to maintain the status quo, and
occupied posts at Um Kasr and Llas-al-Geit,
the latter on Bubiyan Island, which is a place
of strategic importance, as commanding the
approaches to tho Khor Abdulla. The Sheikh
of Koweit regarded this as a disturbance of the
status quo, aud put forward claims of territorial
jurisdiction to both places; and British war-ships Admiralty,
January 1, 1902.
were ordered to Koweit in January.
Tho Government of India took a very serious
view of the Turkish action which, it was surmised,
was inspired by Germany. They pointed out
that with the shores of the mainland and of
Bubiyan Island in the hands of a single Power,