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most friendly letters have continued to pass between the two Rulers and gifts, in
the shape of Hawke, etc., have been the order of the day, though it must be
admitted these came mos ly from the weaker Ruler to the stronger !!
Bin Saud on the other hand sent two pressing invitations to the Shaikh of
Kuwait to accompany him to the Haj from Riath, protesting that the 1931 Haj
would fail miserably if Shaikh Ahmad did not attend! No doubt he had an
eye to the Rs. 00,000 that the latter would l ave been compelled to spend in Mecca.
In spite of the tragic comedy of events one must admit that relations
have improved, and that the situation during 1931 was far preferable to the
open war of 1929 and previous years.

XL—Relations with Iraqs
These have remained officially excellent during 1931 and would continue to
be so, were it not for the unfortunate impression created by the efforts of the latter
to tax the Shaikh of Kuwait’s 5 properties on the Shatt-al-Arab, a question which
has assumed the dimensions of a major problem for His Majesty’s Government.
The latter in 1914 gave a promise in writing to the Rulers of Kuwait that their
Iraq properties would be for all time exempt from all Revenue demands, as a
regard for having thrown in their lot with the allies in the Great War. Iraq’s
contention, and one the reverse of grateful for all that Great Britain has done
for her, in the past, is that His Majesty’s Government had no right to sign away
any of her Revenue rights.
Kuwait’s contention is and remains that His Majesty’s Government should
abide by their word, and either pay the Revenue herself if she so sees fit to solve
the problem, or definitely tell Iraq “ to go to the proverbial Devil ”,
The former course in the opinion of the writer would seem to be the only
proper solution.
In the meantime, Iraq’s determination to be stubborn has undoubtedly done
much to make Kuwait distrust and fear her, and at the moment of writing the
•coming recognition of Iraq as an Independent State, is causing anxiety.

XII.—Political Agent's tours.
During the year under review the Political Agent went again all over the
State by car, visiting practically every important point on the Kuwait-Nejd
frontier. In addition a comprehensive tour was made along the whole Southern
frontier of the Kuwait Neutral Zone.
The main object of the Political Agent in making these tours was to show
himself to the tribes, and to familiarize himself with the hinterland, the various
wells, caravan r’outes, grazing areas, and fines of annual migrations of the Kuwait
and bordering tribes.
Among the principal journeys made were the following :—
On 9th January the Political Agent visited Qasr Subiyeh, on the North shore
of the bay of Kuwait opposite Bubiyan Island via the wells of Mudaira, Babra,
Mughatti and Mughaira. The return journey being made by the Um Rimmam,
Kraa-al-Maru and Mutlaa, route.
The main object of the tour was to examine surface oil springs reported on
the North-side of the Bay.
On 10th January the Political Agent visited Ras-al-Ardh Lighthouse on
inspection duty.
On 14th January the Political Agent visited Araifjan via the A1 Dhahar ridge
returning via the Qusur villages. On this journey the Political Agent was
accompanied by His Majesty’s Consul of Basrah.
On the 24th February the Political Agent accompanied by His Excel­
lency the Ruler proceeded to Wafra Ark and Shattaf in Kuwait Neutral
zone. He reached the South-West corner of the neutral area in the vicinity of
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