Page 174 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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Wo might, at the same time, inform the Sublime Porte that His Majesty's Government
have, in view of the brewing disturbances, instructed the Resident at Bushirc to proceed to
Koweit and advise the Sheikh to be quiet. Your Lordship may think it advisable that Captain
Kcmball should warn the Sheikh of the responsibility he will incur if he wantonly provokes
war, and let him clearly understand that the Agreement of the 23rd January Jb99, gives Llis
Majesty's Government the right to expect that their advice will be followed.
Whether it will be advisable to go farther and hint to the Sheikh that n refusal to comply
with this advice may kaYe serious personal consequences, I must leave to llis Majesty’s
Government to decide.
1 am not anxious to exaggerate tho danger of the situation or to anticipate complications
which may not occur, and 1 believe it is quite possible that the Ottoman Government will
again succeed in preventing this internecine feud from coming to an armed conflict.
At tho same time the state of affairs must be regarded as serious, and in view of our
convention with the Sheikh Mubarak and our interests in the Persian Gulf, His Majesty’s
Government will' probably deem it advisable to take some means of showing that they do not
stand aloof in the matter, and to have a ship of war ready which can be sent at short notice to
Koweit.
The Foreign Office forwarded Sir N. O’Conor’s despatch to the India Office
for the expression of Lord Hamilton’s view. The India Office thereupon des­
patched the telegram, dated 2Gth February 1901 (see paragraph of the precis.)

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