Page 256 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953
P. 256
ebb
241
and they will give to the precious Imperial English Government the right of
pre-emption in sale or lease of the lands detailed below: —
1. The lands which lie adjacent to the lands leased at a distance of
2.000 cubits in any direction from the nearest boundary of the leased lands,
but to the subjects of Sheikh Mobarak—I mean the people of Koweit—to
them shall be a right of pre-emption stronger and prior to that of the English
Government in this land only.
2. The entire Island of Shweikh and its surrounding foreshore; only the
fishing nets are to Sheikh Mobarak-us-Subah.
3. The entire Island of Warba, situated near the Khor Abdulla, and its
surrounding foreshore.
4. All the lands and the foreshore in the direction of Ras Kathama to
a distance of 2 sea miles—I mean 8,000 cubits—in any direction from
Ras Kathama; if the precious Imperial English Government should have
any desire in that place, then it will be on lease, separate from the lands of
Shweikh, at a rent that shall please Sheikh Mobarak-us-Subah, Ruler of
Koweit, or his heirs after him, and there shall be to Sheikh Mobarak-us-Subah,
Ruler of Koweit, and to his heirs after him, a house near the house of the
precious Imperial English Government, should the aforesaid Government
desire the lands and the house which shall be to Sheikh Mobarak-us-Subah,
Ruler of Koweit, and to his heirs after him, shall be a square, each side of
which shall be 300 cubits long, the total 1,200 cubits long, and to the
subjects of Sheik Mobarak-us-Subah, Ruler of Koweit, the land which does
not oppose the desire of the aforesaid English Government, and, if it should
be necessary, Sheikh Mobarak-us-Subah, Ruler of Koweit, and his heirs
after him, will leave to the aforesaid English Government a road to the sea
within their limits, the breadth of which shall not be less than 10 cubits.
Seventhly.—In explanation of the preceding paragraph, whenever anysoever
may come and desire to buy or to take on lease the lands detailed in the
sixth paragraph above, either in part or the whole, every time before that
Sheikh Mobarak-us-Subah, Ruler of Koweit, or his heirs after him, accept the
offer of the buyer or the lessee, it behoves and is incumbent on Sheikh Mobarak-
us-Subah, Ruler of Koweit, or his heirs after him, that they should inform the
Agent of the English Government in Koweit or the Consul-General of the precious
Imperial English Government in Bushire, and that they should give to the
aforesaid friend a full opportunity, not less than three months, that he may consult
higher authority, and decide whether the precious Imperial English Government
wishes to buy or to take on lease the aforesaid lands or no.
Eighthly.—If the opinion of the aforesaid English Government is fixed on
the purchase or the lease of the lands sought for in accordance with the offer and
conditions of the purchaser or the lessee, the offer of the aforesaid English
Government will be accepted without further talk or demand, and the demanded
lands will be sold or leased to the aforesaid English Government on these
conditions.
Ninthly.—And it is clearly understood and agreed upon between the two
parties and I, Major S. G. Knox, Political Agent of the precious Imperial English
Government, am duly authorised, on behalf of the precious Imperial English
Government, to promise, and do hereby promise, that the town of Koweit and
its boundaries likewise belong to Sheikh Mobarak-us-Subah, Ruler of Koweit, and
to his heirs after him, and that all Sheikh Mobarak’s arrangements in the matter
of customs, &c., and all his arrangements at the present day shall remain in the
hands of Sheikh Mobarak-us-Subah, Ruler of Koweit, and to his heirs after him,
and that, in the matter of the Shweikh lands and of the lands which the aforesaid
English Government may hereafter rent from Sheikh Mobarak-us-Subah, or from
his heirs after him, the aforesaid English Government will not take customs on
anything in all the lands which they may rent or in which they may dwell within
the limits of Koweit.
Tenthly.—In consideration of the above promise, Sheikh Mobarak-us-Subah,
Ruler of Koweit, on behalf of himself and on behalf of his heirs after him, promises i
that they will not collect customs dues on goods imported or exported by the
subjects of the aforesaid English Government—I mean English subjects and people
of India and other than them of the subjects of the aforesaid English Government—