IOR/R/15/1/585

The volume consists of letters, telegrams, reports, and memoranda relating to affairs between Najd and Iraq. The majority of the correspondence is between the Political Residency in Bushire, James More (later Harold Dickson), Political Agent in Kuwait, Gilbert Clayton, High Commissioner in Baghdad, Cyril Barrett, Political Agent in Bahrain, John Glubb, Administrative Inspector in Iraq, the Colonial Office in London, the British Agency in Jeddah, the Foreign Department of the Government of India in Delhi, and Ibn Sa'ud himself.

Most of the documents relate to the execution of rebel leader Dhaidan Ibn Hithlain and the subsequent rebellion by his tribe, the 'Ajman. Various issues are raised:

• the whereabouts of the rebels and there attempts to enter Kuwait;
• whether the Sheikh of Kuwait is harbouring rebels in his territory and/or supplying them with equipment and provisions;
• Ibn Sa'ud's request from the British Government for a troopship, guns and ammunition and whether to provide them for him;
• the presence of another rebel leader, Ibn Mashhur, in Kuwait, and reports of his defeat and death near the end of the volume;
• Faisal al-Dawish's recovery from serious injuries inflicted at the Battle of Sabila, and his alliance with the 'Ajman rebels;
• how the British should respond to the 'Ajman rebels should they (or should they not) enter Kuwaiti territory;
• al-Dawish's attempts at communicating with Sheikh Ahmed of Kuwait and the British Government.

Other subjects that are raised within the volume are:

• which channels of communication are to be used for contact with Ibn Sa'ud;
• intelligence on the movements and activities of several other tribes and people, including the 'Anaze, Awazim, Dhafir, Harb, Mutair and Shammar;
• the whereabouts, thoughts, and expected actions of Ibn Sa'ud;
• Ibn Sa'ud's suspected seduction of the Dhafir tribe;
• the deployment of Iraq or British police cars to protect Iraqi shepherd tribes during their migration in Kuwait;
• Ibn Sa'ud's brother, Mohammed, escaping from custody and joining the 'Utaibah;
• pearl divers in Hasa being temporarily prevented from leaving port and accessing the pearl banks due to insecurity;
• the request from Iraq for compensation for their tribes for losses incurred in raids, including a detailed list of these (folios 296-7).

Notable within the volume are the confidential memoranda by the newly-appointed Harold Dickson as the Political Agent in Kuwait. They cover three subjects: Sheikh Ahmed's personal thoughts and opinions of Ibn Sa'ud (folios 304-6); the smuggling of supplies to the rebels from Kuwait (folios 307-10); and the Sheikh's objection to Iraqi police cars entering Kuwaiti territory (folios 311-314).

At the end of the volume (folios 331-40) are internal office notes.