Page 323 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

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Jedda, to the Saudi Government and by the Resident to the Shaikh brought
about a more hopeful state of affairs, and at the end of the year there was
a faint hope that this question might be solved. in the case of smuggling
into Iraq it is not the Kuwaiti tribesmen who actaully do the smuggling
but those under the authority of the Saudi .Government.
In May a party of 6 armed retainers of Ibn Jiluwi, Governor of Hasa
entered Kuwait territory on business of the Saudi Government without pro­
per credentials from the latter, which resulted in a certain amount of
correspondence between Ilis Majesty’s Government and the Saudi Govern­
ment. I lie iniedent on the whole probably had a good effect since the next !
party which came to Kuwait was properly accredited.
Bahrain.—In October the Saudi Government reported that about 400
destitute Indian pilgrims had been collected by the local authorities in Hasa,
and asked that arrangements should be made to transport them to Bahrain.
The Government of India, at the suggestion of the Resident, agreed that a
concentration camp should be arranged in Bahrain by the Political Agent
in co-operation with the Bahrain Government, where the pilgrims would
be properly fed, looked after and given medical treatment. Arrangements
were made with the British India Steam Navigation Company by which the
Fast Mail made a special call at Bahrain, and took away the bulk of the pil­
grims to India. The remainder followed in batches by Slow Mail as oppor­
tunity offered.
In March a Saudi delegation visited Bahrain to negotiate with the
Bahrain Government on the subject of the transit dues charged by the latter
on goods destined for Saudi Arabia. Under the auspices of the Political
Agent a satisfactory arrangement was come to on the various points con­
cerned, the Agreement being officially signed by both parties, the Saudi
Government and His Majesty’s Government on behalf of the Bahrain Gov­
ernment before the end of the year.
On the occasion of the King’s Birthday the honour of the K.C.I.E. was
conferred on the Shaikh of Bahrain.
Trucial Coast.—In September the death occurred of Khan Bahadur Isa
bin Abdul Latif, O.B.E., who had been for 18 years Residency Agent on
the Trucial Coast, during which period he had done excellent work. His
father and his grandfather had served in similar capacities before him.
Imperial Airways’ planes continued to use the Sharjah Air Port
without incident.
The pearling season on the Trucial Coast was poor. Pearls were
fewer ana prices lower.
The negotiations between His Majesty’s Government and the Saudi
Arabian Government on the subject of the frontiers between Saudi Arabia
and the Trucial Coast States and Muscat, which commenced at the end
of 1934 (see Review of last year), were continued during the year under
review. This complicated question was the cause of lengthy correspondence
between His Ma-jssty’s Government, His Majesty’s Minister at Jedda, and
the Resident, and of vairous visits by the Political Agent, Bahrain, to the
Trucial Coast for investigations on the spot. The chief point at issue was
uestion
the boundary between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, this aspect of the qi_.
being of special importance in view of the Oil concession obtained by the
Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in Qatar and that given by His Majesty King
Abdul Aziz to the California Oil Company in the province of Hasa. The
Saudi Government hindered negotiations not a kittle by asserting that there
was an Agreement between His Majesty King Abdul Aziz and the Shaikh
of Qatar by which the latter acknowledged that he had given up his claim
to certain territory in favour of His Majesty. (To anticipate the events
of 1936 the Saudi Government later acknowledged that no such Agreement
existed). At the close of the year negotiations were still in progress.
An incident of some importance occurred at Abu Dhabi in February
when the Shaikh of that place, who had signed an Agreement to give certain
facilities to the Royal Air Force in return for adequate payment, refused on
the arrival of the Royal Air Force working party to allow them to construct