IOR/R/15/1/492

This file contains correspondence between British officials regarding date gardens in southern Iraq owned by the ruler of 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 changes to the ruler of Kuwait, Shaikh Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ.

In particular, the correspondence concerns the Government of Iraq's decision 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.

The correspondence discusses in detail a court case in the Iraqi courts regarding the land owned by Shaikh Aḥmad and the attempts made by British officials in Iraq and Kuwait to mediate between the two sides. This correspondence includes discussions regarding the initial registration of Shaikh Mubārak's ownership of the various properties in Iraq and direct correspondence with Shaikh Aḥmad's lawyer, Jacob Gabriel.

The file contains a translation of a letter from Shaikh Aḥmad granting general power of attorney to Gabriel (ff 60-70) and a report written by the British Political Agent in Kuwait, Harold Richard Patrick Dickson concerning a visit to Kuwait by Syed Hamid Beg Al Naqib [Sayyid Ḥamīd Beg al-Naqīb], the Deputy for Basra in the Iraqi Parliament (ff 144-148).