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78 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE
of the dispute. Shaikh Salim refused, and replied that if Dawisli wished to
discuss anything with him, ho should send in delegates of his own.
On the I8tli October a deputation from Faisal ad-Dawish arrived in
Kuwait, but from the first it was evident that their terms wore impossible of
acceptance, being in short, a demand that the whole of Kuwait should become
Ikhwan. Shaikh Salim himself put off seoing them nearly a week, and, in the
meanwhile, officially asked for British assistance. On the morning of the
24 th October ho dismissed the envoys, also refusing a demand for supplies
which they put forward. The Political Agent was present at tho bogimuug of
the interview and delivered to them both in writing and verbally, a com­
munique, which had also been previously dropped by aeroplanes to the effect
that so long as hostilities had been confined to the desert and Jahrah, the British
Government had not been called upon to do more than use frieudly efforts in
the interests of peace. When, howevor, threats were being uttered against
the town, British interests and the safety of British subjects, as well as our
assurance to the Sheikh of Kuwait, become involved, and we could no longer
romain spectators. From the assurances recently repeated by Ibn Sa’ud the
British Government was sure that their hostilo action was altogether contrary
t) his wishes and orders and that he would doubtless make this clear as soon as
l.o heard of their action. In any case they were warned that if they should make
.•my attempt to attack Kuwait, they would bo regarded as guilty of hostility to
British authorities as well as to the Sheikh of Kuwait, and that wo would
have no alternative but to oppose such hostile action by every convenient
moans. Jufran al-Faqm , the head of the deputation, replied that the Ikhwan
tveic acting under Ibn Sa’ud’s direct orders in operating against Sheikh Salim.
The Political Agent said that he could not believe this, as Ibu Sa’ud was a
friend of the British, and had recently given us assurance that he would not
molest Kuwait, and that he knew him to be a man of honour and one who
would keep his word. He then repeated the warning that we would oppose
them if they attacked Kuwait, and withdrew.
The envoys left Kuwait and retuned to Subnihiyah the same day. On the
28th October a representative of Shaikh Salim’s, who had accompanied the
envoys to Subaikiyah, returned with letter from ifaisal ad-Dawish to the effect
that he had believed the promises which Shaikh Salim bad made to Ibn Sula-
iman at Jalirah and that, in consequence, he had abstained from hostile action
and had also tried to stop Ibn Sa’ud’s forces. lie now saw, howevor, that
Shaikh Salim had deceived him and was not fulfilling his promises and that
the truce was consequently at an end. The man said that when he left the
Ikhwan were loading up water, and intended leaving for Safah on the morning
of the 26th, to await ammunition and supplies.
This report proved to be true, at any rate so far as their moving to Safali
was concerned. The sight of British aeroplanes and of His Majesty’s Ships in
Bay not unlikely influenced Dawish in his decision to withdraw.
On the 30th October the Sheikh of Kuwait was informed that the High
Commissioner considered it a matter of urgency to prevent further bloodshed
during the period which must elapse before the question now at issue between
him and Ibn Sa’ud could be amicably settled. It was accordingly intimated
that the wells of Subaihiyak were not be occupied by either party, and either
side which infringed this direction would render itself liable to hostile action
by aeroplanes. The same message was sent to Ibn Sa’ud via Bahrain.
The High Commissioner also sent a message to Ibn Sa’ud via Bahrain
to the effect that he was unable for a moment to believe that he had been privy
to the Ikhwan attack on Jahrab, but that it showed the Ikhwan were out
of hand. It was urgently necessary that amicable relations should be estab­
lished at once between him and Shaikh Salim. To this end he invited him to
come to Basrah forthwith for the purpose of meeting him under our auspices.
Ibn Sa’ud’s first reference to the battle of Jahrah was made in a letter
dated 20th October, in which he said that, during his absence at *Uqair, bis
force guarding the northern frontier had encountered the rabble collected by
Sheikh Salim, and that both sides hod suffered casualties. On the 20th ho wrote
again, forwarding a copy of report on the subject from Faisal ad-Dawish, to

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