Page 128 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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218. Tho Foreign Offico was apprizod of this by tho Consul at Basrah
through Sir N. O’Conor in his telegram
No. 332 of Secret M., July 1002, Noe. 307*507.
M dated 30th January 1902. His- iiroposal
was that the Sheikh should at once make “opposition” to I ho judgment and
have the ease re-heard. Tho Sheikh’s idea seems to have boeu to ignoro the
legal proceedings and to get us to sight his case diplomatically.
219. His Majesty’s Government however accepted Mr. Wratislaw’a proposal
and the Secretary of State telegraphed to the Government of India :—
“ Instruct Komball to strongly advise Sheikh of Kowcit to make an opposition regarding
Fao Estates before expiration at lwgnl terms/'
220. This advice was duly communicated by Colonel Kemball to Mubarak.
In February 1902, ho heard from Mr. Wratislaw that the Yali had advised
the Slieikh’s nephews to accept arbitration concerning tho estates according to
the trade of 1898, but that the nephews refused.
221. We shall leave this case for the present to see what other measures
the Turks took to intimidate Sheikh Mubarak.

XXVI.—Occupation of Um-Kasr, Bubyan Island and Subbiyah by
the Turks.
January—March 1902.
222. The Turks now turned their manoeuvres in another direction, that was
M to squeeze out the Sheikh of Kowcit ” They occupied positions round an inlet
of the sea, which lias the makings of one of the best, if not the best, harbour
and naval station in the Persian Gulf. Theso places, Um-Kasr or Mungasser,
and the Bubyan island are on tho borderland between* tho undefined Turkish
and Kowcit territories at tho west corner of the head of the Persian Gulf.
223. From tho importance attached by Colonel Pelly to them in his valu­
able reports referred to above, it might have been expected that tho Gorman
Bail way Company and the Turks for them, would after failing to secure Kowcit
as a Bailway terminus try to have a hold on Klior Abdullah. But they
anticipated us by a timely movement of a small detachment of Turkish troops.
224. The first news of the movement was communicated to the Government
of India by the First Assistant to the Poli­
No. 230 of Secret E. March 10C2, Noa. 127*357.
tical Besident in the Persian Gulf from
Bushirc in a telegram, dated 21st January 1902, to the effect that a Turkish
battalion had been moved from Sahwan to Umr.
225. The next news was a telegram from tho Senior Naval Officer, Persian
Gulf, confirming the above telegram. Um-
Kasr as well as Safwan were claimed as
his territory by the Sheikh of Kowcit. The question was asked as to what was.
the boundary of Koweit. The Political Besident was asked by telegram, dated
31st January 1902, to answer this question. He replied :—
“Boundary of Koweit is quite uncertain and Wratislaw thinks that Sheikh’s claims to
Um-Kasr and Sahwan could not be maintained.
No. 653 of Secret E. March 1002, Nc«. 553*613. When j lagfc favy, sheikh, ho told me Sahwan was
his and bases his claims on fact that Bedouins there owe allegiance to him. Bedouins
however always change their habitation and allegiance, and I doubt if Sheikh's claims to
Saljwan at any rate could be maintained. Thoro is no doubt, however, that moyemeraenfc of
Turks is intended to frighten Mubarak and to cut him off from communication with Basrah.
226. In a later telegram, dated 4th February, Colonel Kemball proposed
! that tho advance of the Turks to Um-Kasr should be objected to because (1) the
! rf8 Sheikh claimed it as liis part to Basrah
and (2) it might be made the terminus of
the Gorman Bailway. Ho also proposed that in any case the further advance of
the Turks should be prohibited, as they might advance near the sea. Ho sug­
gested further that a gunboat might bo sent to Khor Abdullah and Khor
Subhiyou to ascertain facts,