Page 404 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

102 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY
were intended to be a mark of the perfect reconciliation that has taken
place between the Sheikh and his nephews of the opposite faction.
They were celebrated in May with much pomp. Sheikh Khazal of Mohara-
mcrah, as mentioned above, come to Koweit, and many of the Basrah notables
and merchants were also present.
On the 17th of the same month, Sheikh Abdullah-bin-Salim was married
to a daughter of Sheikh Jabir-bin-Mubarak. It was noticed that the hoy’s
father, Sheikh Salim, though present in Koweit, did not attend any of these
festivities.
All this marrying and giving in marriage appears to have encouraged
Sheikh Jabir-bin-Mubarak to take* to himself in marriage a daughter of the
sheikhly family of the Bani Arayan of the Bani Khalid tribe. This marriage
was celebrated in the end of May.
The only blot on the harmony of these proceedings was some severe
exactions on the merchants and people of Koweit to pay for these expenses.
They had already dutifully presented rich presents to their Sheikh and, in
addition, a list was circulated among the petty shopkeepers and merchants by
which a sum, estimated at T£30,000, was collected from them. Much dis­
content was caused by these exactions.
m harak>
Slioikh The ^ministration °f the town shows itself to be as vigorous and
Idmiuuiratioo orderly as ever, although Koweit has undoubtedly passed through trying times
of Kowoit this year, as all classes, and especially the poorer population, were heavily hit
by the very low prices ruling in the pearl market until November of this year.
Whatever may be said as to his methods, Sheikh Mubarak has the town well
in hand and since the exactions recorded in connection with the sheikhly
marriages, there have been no complaints of injustice or oppression. He has
been equally successful with the desert Bedouins.
There have been some rumours of oppressive rates raised against the
cultivators on his Fao estates.
Mub»rak’« The incident of S. S. Waroonga, mentioned in previous page, was also
Brituh"w,th ^ie occasion of a serious breach in the friendly relations that have for so long
•hipping been happily maintained between Sheikh Mubarak and the British India
computet. Steam Navigation Company who have done so much for this port.
Sheikh Mubarak actually ordered the Agent of the Company to leave
the town and to inform the Company that they were to discontinue the visits
of their steamers.
When it was shown to him by the Political Agent that these orders
involved a serious breach of contract and great injustice, he withdrew his
orders against the Agent which, the Political Agent told him plainly, would
not be obeyed, unless the Sheikh chose to take the responsibility of employing
force to compel submission. However, the Sheikh, successfully for some
weeks, maintained a boycott against the Company’s vessels and called in for
a few visits the vessels of the rival Company, the Bombay and Persia Steam
Navigation Company. Latterly the British India Steam Navigation
Company have lowered their freight rates to Koweit and appears now to be
competing successfully with their rivals and harmonious relations between
the Sheikh and his old friends are happily restored.
Arab Sheikh Khazal’s visit has been already recorded.
viaitora of
diatioctioD.
Seyyid Hashim, of the family of the Nakib of Basrah, paid a visit to
Koweit in July of this year and it was believed that he has acquired some
land from Sheikh Mubarak at the western end of the town where he proposes
to build himself a house. He is a man of about 25 years of age well
educated and intelligent. The Political Agent paid him a visit which was
duly returned.
Sheikh Thari-bin Fahaid-bin Obaid, of the Bani Rashid, has remained
in Koweit throughout the nine months under report. The Assistant Surgeon
ha<* frequently paid him professional visits, as he is unfortunately an invalid
and the relations between him and the Political Agent have been cordial.