Page 93 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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u Pigeon ” he is very anxious to bo brought under British protection ; bo said that be had
heard of a project for railway and wished Tor it; that llio Bedouins of tbo interior nro his
warm 6upportors and will not oppose railway, l'nll report will follow next mail.
(0) Telegram P., No. 17SG-E.A., dated tho 11th Novomlor 1897. No. 119.
From—The Viceroy, Simla,
To—Tho Scorclary of State, London.
Koweit. Resident was authorised in terms of your telegram 30th October t<J send gun­
boat, which has now returned. All was quiet. Sheikh told Commander he is very anxious
to bo brought under protection of the British Government.
45. The decision arrived at by tho Secretary of State on Government of
India's telegram dated lltli November (last
Pro. No. 75 of Secret E., May 1898, No*. 73-103.
quoted) and their despatch of 21st October
(paragraph 42 above) was telegraphed on 3rd December 1897 :—
" I adhere to instructions in my telegram of 11th October, but consider
there is nothing in the political situation of Koweit to hamper the naval officers
in bringing home to Sheikh responsibility for piratical acts'*
VL—(1) Movements of Turkish troops towards Koweit. (2) Kussian
intrigues. (3) Question of Protectorate over Koweit
further discussed, 1897*98.
46. On tbo lGth December 1897 Colonel Meade telegraphed regarding a
projected movement of Turkish troops from
Pro. No. 77 of Secret E.. May 1893, No*. 73-103
Baghdad to Fao, and also of the death of
Mahomed Ibn Rashid Chief of Jehcl Shammar and Ncjd, He was succeeded
by his nephew Abdul Aziz without opposition.
47. On the 22nd of December threo battalions of Turkish infantry loft
Baghdad in two steamers for Basrah, it was
Pro. No*. 87 *nd 89 of Proceedings cited.
believed, in response to a request made by
the Sheikh of Koweit for assistance against Sheikhs Jasim and Yusuf. The
Turkish Government tried to repress the movements of Sheikh Jasim in Katar,
but Jasim attacked the Turkish battalion at Bidaa, and captured it. lie soon
releasod it and sout an ambassador to Constantinople to represent matters in
a favourable light. These facts were telegraphed on 22nd and 23rd December
3897 by Colonel Mende—upon tolegrams sent by tho Political Resident, Turkish
Arabia ^Colonel Loch). On 22nd December Colonel Loch reported in detail the
• movements in question and observed as
Pro. No. 93 of Proceeding* cited.
follows:—
" But it might be said that the affairs at Koweit are bevond my sphere, and more proper­
ly connected with that of the Resident-, Persian Gulf. *1 his is true, but I submit most
deferentially that the occupation by tho Porte of Koweit would bo a standing menace to our
trade interests in Turkish Arabia. Scarcely a day passes, but attempts are made to hamper
our trade, sometimes by vexatious quarantine regulations, at others by some move on the
part of the Turkish authorities to gain complete control over tho inoulh of the Shat-el-
Arab at Fao, and it is from here that they must be watched and their actions checked.
There is, however, another matter connected with this question which has lately forced
itself on my attention. For some months past vague rumours have been alloat that Russia and
her agents were working in the Gulf, and I would invite your attention to my letter No.
615, dated the 15th November in which I forwarded a c«py of an Embassy despatch from
Constantionple. with enclosure, bringing to my notice that Russia was seeking to acquire a
coaling station in that quarter, which confirms to a certain extent these rumours ; more­
over, from hints I have received, it is Koweit on which Russia's eyes arc fixed. You will
observe that, according to Consul Dickson’s despatch, hi. Krouglow, late Russian Consul
at Jerusalem, has been instructed to report, after his arrival, on tho subject. M. Krouglow
has not yet arrived, and it is now doubtful if he will como, owing to a dea’h vaeaooy at
Aleppo in the Russian Consular Service, which he is expected to fill. M, Mashkow will
iu this case remain, and the matter will bo entrusted to him, I presume, hi. Mashkow is an
intenso Anglophobc and extremely active in intriguo, and I firmly bclievo that tho quostion
of tho coaling station will in tho next few months come permanently to the front."
48. As regards the tiuvatoned attack on Koweit, the Govcromont of India,
in pursuance of tho instructions of the Secretary of State, referred to in tho last
Pro. No. ea of Secret n. November isos, seetion in their telegram, dated 22nd
No*. 73.103. December 1897, instructed Colouol Moado
that no action should bo taken to assist .tho Sheikh of Koweit without special
sauetion.