Page 84 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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co mo in their boats. The province of Kowcit which depends upon th* Governor of this town
is inhabited l»v Nonuuuhi who mo shepherds, and who can supply 10,00,000 warriors. The people
of the town possess Martini rides, hut those of tho interior, old-fashioned weapons and rifles.
The governing family's lmmo is Snbnli, which is a branch of the family Entbo which reigns at
Bahrein, and of which tho l’oigning jhranch is named Khalifa. Tho title of tho family in
question is Choikh. The country of Kowcit, although entirely independent, figures in the maps
at being a part of the Ottoman Empire. The reigning family pouesset large landed property at
Jiussorah, and especially at Eao, which belongs to them ; that is the. reason ichy the Chfilcht
accept their in restitute being sanctioned by the Sultan, toho grants them, the rank of Kaimalan
with the title of I’asha, of which the Choikh does not deign to make use.
The roigning family was composed of four brothers, one of whom named Abdullah died
some time ago. Ilia brother Mahomed succeeded him in tho Government of Koweit, and,
according to custom, his juniors, Jarrah and Moubarak, assisted him in the exercise of bis
poweis. Lately, tlio two brother Mahomed and Jerrah have been assassinated. The palace
received the information that Mubarak, after a month’s residence at Bushire, kept by Her
Majesty's Consul, Mr. Wilson, on his return killed his brothers because they objected to an
alliance with the Emir Mahomed I bn Rashid,', Cheikh of Chamar and suzerain of Nejd, and
with Jasim Thany, Sheikh of the tribes round Katar (town in the possession of the Turks,
and depending on the Mntessarifat of Lahasa of Ncjd, according to the Turks), and who
some time ago massacred the Turkish garrison of La Hasa and maintains his independence 6ince.
According to the opinion of the palace, this plan of alliance was suggested to Mubarak
by the English Resident of Bushire, and that the object of such an alliance would be an Arabic
confederation in which the principality of Bahrein would be comprised.
The palace, unwilling under the present circumstances to cause a new complication to
ori6e, decided to ignore the cass of tho assasination, and intends to grant to Mubarak the usual
investiture, and orders to tho effect havo been despatched to tho Governor-General of Bussorah,
intruding him to avoid all shedding of blood.”
20. A copy of their memorandum was forwarded to the Government of
India and sent by them to Colonel "Wilson Political Resident, Persian Gulf, for
report, and this was what he had to say in
No. 180 of proceeding! cited.
his report dated 3rd October 1896.
“ The 6tory as gathered by Mr. Stavrides is, as regards this Residency, not only absolutely
without foundation, but ludicrously improbable and incongruous on the face of it.
It is true, according to my communication, that Mubarak of the ruling Sheikh family of
Kowcit, some time ago murdered his two brothers, and I am quite prepared to believe that tbc
Palace” (i. c., the Porte) decided to ignore the case of the assassination ? and has extended
its countenance and support to the fratricide.
For the rest, neither I nor any Member of this Residency has ever seen or held com­
munication with Mubaraks, nor am I aware of any visit of his to Bushire. Enquiry at tho
Turkish Vice-Consulate at Bushire has elicited that Mubarak has not visited Bushire for
the last threo or four years at least, and I have no knowledge of any previous visit. There
is no information whatever in this Residency of any proposed alliance of the Koweit Sheikhs,
lbn Rashid and Jasim bin Thani.”
21. In July the*1 Sphinxwith Commander Baker on board, visited Koweit.
His report confirms the usurpation of
Secret E, June 1807, Xoi.l—2.
Mubarak, but he thought that it was done
with the concurrence of the people. “ No notice ” ho writes “ was at all
taken of the proceedings by the Resident, and it was quite apparent that, the
•presence of an English Man-of-war frightened him considerably. Koweit is
ri'oininally an independent Arab territory, but -in ■reality the Turks exercise
great influence over it; more Especially since the new Chief Itcoeded to power,
hefinds it' necessary'to jfefy into their hands. But ho would not come'off to
the ship. I also noticed that he'flow tho Turkish flag and taxed him with
it, but could not get any satisfactory answer from him. We havo no Political
Agent (native) hero, as we have at all the other large Arab towns.”

(1) Propose^TtfrikslrQuarantine -station at 'Koweit and ^pther
and the India Office, 1897.
21-A.—Early in the year 1897 proposals wCro madoby the Constantinople
8«rct i. March ifio7, Nw. 87-120. Sanitary Board’for establishing of Q,uarau-
Secret A., April 1807, Ko. s. tine stations on tho Arabian coast of tuo
Persian Gulf, ono of which was to be at Kowcit and another at Bahrein. Honi
Elgin, who tons consulted by the Secretary of State, saw no objection to lurKisu
Quarantine at Kowcit, but considered' Turkish intervention at other places quito
in admissible.