[KUWAIT.] & [SURTEES (Lt. V. N.).]

H.M.S. Emerald - Gibraltar, India, Ceylon, China, Dutch East Indies, Persian Gulf, 1926-1928.

Rare account of Kuwait in 1928

First edition. Decorative title page, twenty-three full-page illustrations from photographs, folding track-chart map. 8vo. Original green cloth-backed boards, shamrock device to the upper board; professionally rebacked (without the original spine label), extremities a little rubbed, light scuffs and stains to boards, otherwise good. Endpapers browned, interior pages have a smoky scent, otherwise clean and fresh. 238, [2]pp. Devonport, Hiorns and Miller, n.d. but, 1928.

£750.00

A rare account of the maiden voyage of HMS Emerald, which was called in to assist in the defence of Kuwait whilst the town was under threat from Ikhwan raiders. The Emerald also made stops at Aden, Al Luhayyah and Jeddah, where gifts were exchanged with Ibn Saud, “a fine-looking man, well over six feet, with clean-cut features, rather concealed by a beard” (p.17).

It provides an excellent account of the Emerald’s two-month stay at Kuwait, giving a good physical description of the town and the preparations for its defence. The photographic illustrations include ‘The Naval Camp at Kuwait’, ‘Arab Cavalry, Kuwait’, ‘Naval Landing Party and Arab Army manning the Walls of Kuwait’ and an image of the British Political Resident with Sheikh Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1885-1950).

Rare. LibraryHub locates two copies, at the British Library and the National Maritime Museum. OCLC adds just one more, at Plymouth Library.

Stock No.
248185