Page 640 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

58 ANNUAL REPORT OP TUB PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL RESIDENCY
Two tribes, tho Awazim and tho Rashidah, together with a portkm^nf o
Muteir form the bulk of tho pomilm*
Tdb“’ outside that of Kuwait town?1 Sm°h
bands of other tribes such as Dbafir, Beni Kbafid, eto. (who are merel.
visitors), enter Kuwait territory at oortain soasons. u>’
Tbe principal villages in tho district with their approximate population
Halai'faJha,h2(W ; XiUblh

For a considerable time evidence had beon accumulating which showed
that Kuwait was being used as a base f0r
Blookado.
supplying goods to the Turks and to the
tribes rangsd on the Turkish side and, at the end of 1917, it was decided that the
establish uent of a blockade Kuwait was essential. On January 4th, 19ig
Shaikh Salim, tbe Ruler of Kuwait, agreed to our establishing a blockade for
the control of experts to the interior, but a fow days later withdrew his consent
on the grounds that his honour aud dignity would be affected and even a visit
on February 9th, from tho Deputy Political iResident, Bushire, bearing a
message from the Civil Commissioner failed to change the attitude of uncom­
promising opDOsition to the blockade which he had assumed.
On February 10th, theS S. “ Zayani ” was ordered by the Political Agent,
Colonel R. E. A. Hamilton, not lo unload her cargo which was subsequently
over-carried to Basrah An immediate improvement in the situation took place,
and on February 15th Shaikh Salim accepted the blockade proposals without
reservation.
On February 22nd a British Blockade Officer, Lieutenant D. Y. McCollum,
and four British other ranks landed at Kuwait to control the blockade arrange­
ments.
Though this officer nominally received every assistance, considerable
obstacles were placed in bis way, and there was reason to believe that goods
continued to leave Kuwait which was full of foodstuffs and piecegoods, but as
the pests were manued by the Shaikh’s retainers no proof was forthcoming
though.it was evident that while the personnel were K uwaitis leakage was
bound to continue.
At the beginning of April several large caravans, aggregating 4,900
camels, purporting to be from Qasim and other eastern parts of Bin Sa’ud’s
territory, but in reality composed largely of enemy elements or traders with tbe
enemy/ and considerable numbers of Bedouin with some 3 000 camels had
congregated at Kuwait, and asked for blockade permits to export very abnormal
quantities of supplies of all sorts. After reference to Baghdad it was decided
to refuse these requests with the exception of a few which were properly
Touched for. On April 10th, H. M. Ships " Lawrence ” (Commander
L. IL. .Crosier) and " Bramble ** arrived at Kuwait and the next morning
the headmen of the caravans and tribes were summoned to the Shaikh’s
palace to receive the answer regarding the permits. The Political Agent
and the Blockade Officer interviewed the Shaikh, informing him of the
very abnormal quantities and kinds of goods exported in the preceding
15 months and of the still more abnormal quantities asked for by the caravans
and tribes then in Kuwait. After some demur tbe Shaikh agreed to turn them
away empty, bat when the headmen were called in his resolution failed and
the orders had eventually to be issued by the Political Agent, A. letter was
sent to Bin Sa’ud explaining the matter and asking him to come to soine
arrangement for the future regulation of traffic with Mr. Philby (an officer of
the Indian Civil Service deputed to Bin Sa’ud from. the staff of the Civil
Commissioner) and each caravan leader was given a letter to the A&u
(Governor) of his district explaining why h© was bringing no goods. During
tbe succeeding three days the tribes and caravans left, always passing in view
of the Agency so that it could be seen that no goods were taken out. As a
precaution in view of the large numbers involved, a machine gun was placed od
the Agency roof and subsequently a second was mounted. On the last day®
news was received that the one remaining caravan was smuggling ocit arms an