Page 156 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

80
No. 898.
333. About this time tho Shammar and Aniza tribes who had boon long at
feuds (see Secret E., April 1903, Nos. 212-213) becamo rcoonoilod and were
reported to be marching iu the direction of Basrah against Sadun and his party
No. 305. 334. Mahomed Pasha who had been sent to catch Sadun foil soon into
disgrnco on account of his ill-success due either to his inability or perhaps to his
unwillingness arising out of his relationship with Sadun.

XXXVIII.—Advance of a loan made to Sheikh Mubarak.
March—May 1904.
335. In March 1904 Sheikh Mubarak applied for a loan of Rs. 1,00,000 to
Nob. 312.315 and 310 in Secret E., Aogu»t 1004, enable him to pay the amount due by him
No*.286-373. to his nephews in accordance with tho
settlement recently arrived at. According to the estimate made by Mr. Crow.
The amount so due amounted to £ T. 6,3. 0, which nearly agreed with tho
Sheikh’s estimate. The Government of India sanctioned the grant of the loan
applied for, being made repayable without interest in two equal instalments,
the first before the close of the present year and the balance before the end of
1905, on condition that the Sheikh should undertake not to borrow from other
sources, till the loin has been repaid, without pre ious reference to tho Govern­
ment of India. The money is to be paid through the Resident in tho Persian
Gulf. (Government of India’s letter No. 1709-E. A., dated 24th May 1904.)
The couditiou as to future borrowing was considered by Lord Curzon as im­
portant. ____________

XXXIX—Proposed opening of a British post office at Koweit,
1901-1904:.
326. The first proposal for opening a British post office at Koweit was made
in November 1901, and that omanated
Secret E., May 1902, No*. 13-17.
from Sheikh Mubarak. Colonel Kemball
was against the proposal (1) because it was doubtful whether the local
receipts would bo sufficient to cover the expenses of the post offi'ce and (*) the
measure might not be advisable at that juncture in view of the British position
at Koweit. The Government of India were not unwilling to extend the postal
service to Koweit, and there was no difficulty about the cost of tho establish­
ment. The real difficulty was to find a proper locus standi fora post office at
that port. The post offices hitherto maintained by the Indian Government in
the Persian Gulf and Turkish Arabia are not separate post offices, but depend
upon the Political and Consular authorities ; and, the post-masters, even if paid
entirely by the Postal* Department, are usually borne on the Political or
Consular establishments. If a native agent were appointed, the Government of
India.thought it would be simple to give him an extra allowance for conduct
ing-the business of the post office, for which there would be a stronger case
when Koweit would be made once a fortnight a regular port of call by tho
British India Steam Navigation Company’s steamers on their downward journey.
But it was considered that the native agent should come first and tho post
office, afterwards. The question of appointing an agent was postponed for con­
sideration until a regular steamer service was opened with Koweit.
337. The question was rc-opcucd when, during Lord Curzon’s visit to Koweit,
the Sheikh again pressed the proposal made in 1902. The following telegrams
were then exchanged between tlio Viceroy, the Secretary of State and Colouc
Kemball:—

Telegram No. 1G1-E.A., ^ated tho lGth January 1904.
From—Hi* Excellency tho Viceroy, Calcutta,
To—Hu Majesty*Secretary of Stato for India, London.
to tha
Now that regular steam service has boon established fco Kuweit, and ^. an?^T^r! _,n9
request for a post office made by the Sheikh in January 1002. and renewed w l
Koweit, we prop, so lo appoint a native medical subordinate to fold charge or t e po
and also to do medical woik, for which I ascertained that there was much need. ^
know whether you approve of our proposal.