Page 160 - 4 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 2_Neat

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(/) Education.—There arc a great many schools keen on modern inventions such as cinemas, camci as,
of a sort in Kuwait. The Arabs conduct at least motor cars, etc., and frequently driveshis own ear.
r>2, the Persians have 11, and the Jews and Christians On the other hand he distrusts foreigners (Euro­
one each, making a total of 65. Of the Arab schools peans), and has a rooted contempt and dislike for
27 are for boys and 25 for girls. These schools Persians. As a result he is averse to such persons
are not tinder any coutrol of the local Govern­ visiting his State, especially also as no amenities
ment. The curriculum in most of the schools such as hotels, etc., exist for them.
consists of reading and memorising the Quran.
The American Mission school gives the best- The present Shaikh like his predecessors rules
education in Kuwait, but its numbers do not ex­ personally and autocratically and as far as. possible
ceed GO. English is one of the principal subjects avoids delegations of his authority. He however
taught. has Qadhi, or Chief Judge who tries all criminal
cases as well as those connected with marriage,
(y) Administration.—Kuwait was founded about divorce and inheritance, and a deputy in the shape
the beginning of the 18th century by some settlers of Shaikh Abdullah al Jabir, a relative, who deals
of the ?Utub. a sept of the Anazah tribe, over whom with all tribal cases outside the town, and pett-v
the Subah family enjoyed predominence. It is magisterial cases in the city. The Ruler himself
unnecessary to consider the early history. Suffice gives audience to all and sundry, for one or two hours
to say that in May 1896 Shaikh Mubarak became daily in the market place, and there decides im­
Kuler of Kuwait on the assassination of his brother. portant cases and appeals, by direct judgment.
It was he who raised Kuwait from a place of little Should a commercial dispute come before him,
importance to a flourishing principality. he refers it for enquiry and decision to a standing
Under his strong rule it became a most attrac­ council of loading merchants.
tive place to live in to the Arab mind and the popu­
lation of the town nearly doubled itself. It would There is a tendency for the Ruler and his Tamilv,
be difficult to speak too highly in praise of his de­ though not his people, to look to Iraq for inspira­
votion to the British Government. tion where reform and progress is concerned. This
is undoubtedly a mistake, as Kuwait's spiritual
Shaikh Mubarak died in November 1915 and home connections and ideas are and should be with
was succeeded by his eldest son Shaikh Jabir, a Ncjd.
debonair and pleasant man, whose mildness and
affability made him a popular Ruler. Shaikh
Salim, his brother, succeeded to the throne in Febru­ Currency.
ary 1917. He was a very different man from his
easy going elder brother, being a stern and bigoted Kuwait has no currency of its own. Indian
Alohamedan who hated Europeans and all modern rupees and smaller coins are used in the town, and
inventions. accounts are k.*pt in Indian Currency: but- Maria
Theresa Dollars are us»*d for ail dealings with the
H«* was much to blame for his quarrel with King desert. The value of Maria Theresa Dollars average.!
Biu Saud of Xejd and all the sorrow that- it brought £7-12-0 per I*»»J dollars during the period under
to Kuwait, aud in short did nearly as much harm review.
to the State, as his father had done good. He
died on 23rd February 1921 and was succeeded by X.n.—The convention of the trade 6pun-.« in this report
Shaikh Sir Ahmad al Jabir as Subah the present is made at the rate of Rs. 10 per pound throughout.
Kulcr.
He is a pleasant man of much the same type
as his father. His bluff jovial manners make him Weights and Measures.
an eminently suitable person for his position in so
far as the ceremonial part of his duties are con- The ordinary unit of weight is the Wotpyah of
cerned. He is very energetic, a keen sportsman, which there are three kinds : m.f one of 4 lbs. I(1*22
fond of residing in the desert, but- does not jiossess 07.s., another of 4 ibs. 13*168 ozs., and a third of 9
any particular strength of character. He is cer- lbs. 4*44 «•/.>.. being respectively the weight of 75,
tainlv a right minded man and would normally 8o and 13m Maria Theresa Dollars, on which coin
always like to do the right thin::, but he is swayed the Waqitjah is ba~*d. The Waqiyah of 4 lbs.
bv his advisers who are not always as scrupulous 13*168 ozs. is only u>ed by the local Customs for
as they might be. He is a strict Muslim, and is imports from the desert and that of 9 lbs. 4*44 ozs.,
zealous in the enforcement of the prohibition against onlv for the sale of fish, and beyond this mention
strong liquor, opium, etc., and also in the suppression of them no further notice will be taken of them
of prostitution. He is a non-smoker. He is un­ here. The Wr.qiyah of 4 lbs. 10*22 ozs. is used by
questionably well disposed towards the British, the local Customs for sea imports, and is universally
and is fond’ of entertaining in English style. He is used iu the towu. A larger weight is the manA