IOR/R/15/1/486

This file contains correspondence between British officials regarding date gardens in southern Iraq owned by the rulers of Mohammerah and Kuwait. The correspondence discusses changes in legislation proposed by the Government of Iraq regarding the collection of land rent and land produce duties, and the impact of these proposed changes to the ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ. In particular, the correspondence concerns the Government of Iraq's intention to end the immunity from taxation (on the gardens) that had been granted to the former ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Mubārak Āl Ṣabāḥ and the Shaikh of Mohammerah, Khaz‘al bin Jābir al-Ka‘bī by the British Government in return for their military support against the Ottoman Empire in World War 1.

Much of the correspondence in the file discusses whether or not this assurance can be upheld and how the British should react to the Iraqi government's desire to tax the produce that is grown on Shaikh Ahmad's land and then exported to Kuwait. The file contains direct correspondence between British officials and Nūrī al-Sa‘īd, the Prime Minister of Iraq.

On folio 153 the file contains detailed information regarding how the produce and revenue of Shaikh Aḥmad's gardens were divided between members of the Al Sabah family.

On folio 214 the file contains a statement regarding the size of Shaikh Aḥmad's land holdings in Iraq and an estimation of their annual produce and revenue.