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59
directod to completo tlio operations commenced, provided landmarks •wore not
placod on the mainland.
247. The reported action of the forces of the .Sheikh of Koweit for the
purpose of intercepting the communications between Basrah and Nejd would
appear to have boon founded on the circumstance that certain raids had been
made by Arab tribes on the territory of the Amir of Nojd. His Majesty’s
Government had already warned Sheikh Mubarak against encouraging any
such proceedings, and they wore again assured by him that ho had had nothing
to do with these enterprises. Tho recent visit of one of His Majesty’s ships
to tho neighbourhood of Urn Kasr, was entirely unconnected with these raids.

XXVIIL—Sheikh Mubarak’s offers of reconciliation with the Porte,
March 1902.
248. The constant measures taken by the Turkish authorities at Basrah
to harass tho Sheikh—appear to have
No. 439 of Secret E., July 1902, Nos.3 07-509.
shaken his spirits. Bor we find him in
March 1902 offering a bribe said to amount £10,000 through a Turkish officer,
Mohamad Beg Mustafa Noursi Pasha, Vali of Basrah, in order to induce him to
make favourable representations to the Sultan, put a stop to tbo Turkish
encroachments on his territory and generally to reconcile him with tho Sultan.
Tho Vali appeared to have refused the bribe, and askod him why bo bad sought
British protection. The Sheikh replied that this was done for his own self
preservation against the attacks of Ibn Rashid, since the Turkish Government
had refused to help him.

XXIX.—Arrest of tlie agent of Sheikh Mubarak at Basrah and his
imprisonment.
May—December 1902.
249. On 28th May of 1902, Abdul Aziz, agent of the Sheikh of Koweit at
Basrah, was arrested by order of the
No. 4S3 of Secret E., July 1902, Noj. 307.509.
Sultan on the pretext that he had received
and forwarded to tho Sheikh a prohibited Arabic newspaper called “ Khilafat ”
published in London. It was reported that his papers wero also seized including
title deeds connected with the Bao estates. The Sheikh was at the time al
Mohammerah in conneotion with a piracy committed on one of Koweit boats.
Ho asked the Wali of Basrali the reason of
No. 4S9.
tho arrest, and received the reply that it
was the Irade of tho Sultan. The Sheikh then applied to the Resident through
Mr. Wratislaw for permission to appeal direct to tho Sultan. The Secretary
of State was asked for instructions. The reply was :—
“Please instruct Resident at Bushire to inform Sheikh that in reply, to the representa­
tions made, Tewtok Pasha promises that if faots were correctly represented, he would urge the
Grand Vizier to order restitution of the title deed to Sheikh, Lord Lansdowne sees no
objection to Sheikh’s addressing the Sultan direct, if he wishes to do so
250. Abdul Aziz was examined by a special commission and committed for
trial for felony.
251. Tho Sheikh of Koweit attributed the arrest of his agent to his having
No. 1C3 of secret e., February 1903, No*. 160- accepted British protection and asked
307.
therefore for British intervention to ob­
tain the agent’s release. Mr. DeBunsen, who was consulted, was however of
No«. 164,168. and 106 of Do. opinion that a demand for his release
would not be likely to be atteuded with
success, and proposed to inform the Sublime Porte that His Majesty’s Govern­
ment regarded the continued detention of the Sheikh of Koweit’s agent as an
aot of persecution directod against a chief with whom they stood in friendly
relation. This proposal was approved by His Majesty’s Government in August