Page 80 - PERSIAN 9 1931_1940

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them, and while still inside Kuwait territory they were met by a
party of Dhafir from Subaihiyeh who recovered all the camels
and goods and killed one of the Mu tains.
No action was taken in the matter by the Kuwait authorities, as immediately
afterwards Jadaan-al-Suwait and his Dlialir at Subaihiyeh, trans­
ferred their allegiance to bin Saud and loft Kuwait to assist in the
blockade from across the border.
((/) Whilst the Political Agent was absent on leave three small raids into
Kuwait territory, and carried out by a war party of Bin Saud’s own
Fidawi, took place on the 10th, 12th and 19th August. In the first
some servants of Shaikh Salman-al-Ifamud al-Subah cousin of the
Ruler were attacked 17 miles from Kuwait as they were taking
supplies to their master camped on the Southern border of Kuwait.
The raiders were beaten off.
In the second case a party of Kuwaiti tribesmen was held up at Kebd 15
miles South-West of Kuwait, but raiders were again driven off
discomfited.
In the 3rd case a Ncjdi domiciled in Kuwait was attacked near Shaiba on
the coast, 20 miles South of the City, and relieved of £T 60 and
badly beaten. He followed the party to Jarriya and complained
to Ibn Mulmrib, but got no change.
These three raids formed the subject of an official complaint by His
Majesty’s Government, as well as a personal complaint by His
Excellency the ltuler direct to Bin Saud. The latter eventually
and as a result of the frontier incidents referred to in the next para­
graph removed Ibn Muharib from his post and disgraced him.
(e) On 29th October 1931, Ibn Muharib himself with an armed patrol and
for 5 days made an extensive and secret rcconnaisance of all routes
converging on to Kuwait town. In spite of hiding himself by day
among the sand dunes which abound to the South and South-West
of Kuwait, he was seen and recognized. His operations took place
within 10 miles of Kuwait. The Ruler could easily have captured
the party by means of his car patrols but refrained, lest the party
should oflor resistance and blood be shed. He contented himself
by reporting the incident to Bin Saud and His Majesty’s Govern­
ment.
(/) On the 9th November 1931, two escaped slaves from the Mutair country
(Ncjd) crossed the border bringing with them 4 camels. The owners
followed bringing letter from Bin Saud’s frontier official demanding
that the slaves be returned. The Ruler refused to surrender the
runaways, but handed back the 4 camels.
To prevent the later kidnapping of the slaves the Ruler after freeing
them, took them into his own house.
X.—Relation with Nejd.
In spite of the greater severity of the blockade during 1931 and the apparently
unchanged intention of His Majesty Bin Saud to ruin Kuwait, by continuing to
prevent all caravan communication with the interior, as well as by the strict
banning of Kuwait to all his North-Eastern tribesmen, personal relations between
the two Rulers, would seem to have improved rather than become worse.
This is attributed to the recent and more clever policy of the King, who as
mentioned in an earlier portion of this report, prefers to-day to appear outwardly
more amenable and friendly, while conducting a still tighter blockade than
formerly, protesting all the time that he is forced to adopt these measures, not
from hostile motives to a friendly and neighbouring country, but because economic
necessity and a desire to improve his Hassa ports, compels him to divert the trade
of Kuwait with his country to the ports of Jubail, Qatif and Ojair. The picture
of a Bin Saud weeping over the ruin of Kuwait, the adopted country of his youth,
whilst deliberately trying to destroy it, is the picture presented to us in 1931.
Arab chivalry and politeness have of course compelled the Ruler of Kuwait
to appear insensible to the true policy of the Great lung. Throughout the year