مجموعة ٦/ ٦٥ "العلاقات بين المملكة العربية السعودية واليمن". [و‎‎١‎٩‎٥] (٩١٧/٣٨٩)

2 -
Mr. Saleh Jaffer forwarded the letter with a covering
note to the Amir, requesting him to investigate the matter in
order that justice might be done.
8 . During the afternoon of the 21st the representatives
of Messrs. Besse and Messrs. Liveratos were in touch with He jib
Salha ififfendi, secretary to the Minister of finance, and in
conversation with him they offered to pay the full duty demanded,
provided that he would guarantee that in the event of the Italian
Firm failing to comply, the money would be refunded.
Kejib appeared Impressed by the proposal, and in
company with Saleh Jaffer (in a purely private oapaeity as
witness) they all proceeded to call upon the Minister of Finance.
This official, however, took a different view, and in a stormy
interview he insisted that if payment was not fo rthcoming, he
would immediately seize the value of the duty, in kind.
9. Later in the evening the three Firms received a further
communication from the Director of Oustoms, stating that if
payment was not previously made, he would force the looks of the
stores at 0900 on the following morning, and would remove the
required percentages from their stocks.
10. Shortly before 0900 on the 22nd the three
representatives attended at the house of the Director of Oustoms.
Both Messrs. Basse and Messrs. Idveratos agreed to pay immediately
if their Italian colleague would do likewise, this attitude being
in accordance with instructions received from tdieir Principals.
The Italian, however, was unable to accept the
responsibility for such a decision, and asked for one hour’s
grace to enable him to consult his Government’s commercial agent,
Sign. Jemlceli. The Customs officials were not prepared to
grant this request, and on his departure instructions were given
to force the padlocks on the stores and to oommence the removal
of the requisite quantities of kerosene.
11. Although I neither consider it ay duty to interfere
in a purely commercial dispute, nor had I, even now, been
a Pproached by Messrs. Besse, I was of the opinion that an
incident such as this could not be allowed to pass without
official comment, while I also realised that the Italian reactions
might be suoh as to provoke a situation out of all proportion to
the true gravity of the case. I therefore proceeded at once to
discuss the matter with the Italian S.N.O., who decided to land
immediately in order to ascertain the latest developments, it
being understood that he should take no action until I arrived
later with the French Commanding Officer.
It was clear that he took a serious view of the forcing
of the looks, and considered that it amounted to a violent and
unjustified assault on the property of an Italian subject.
12. I then called on my French colleague, both in his
capacity of Commanding Officer of one of the Guardships, and also M
as the representative of the Power which here assumes respon
sibility for the welfare of Greek subjects, and at 1400 I landed
with him.
13. IXiring the forenoon the Ba’udis had completed the
removal of the goods demanded from Besse’s store (400 oases) and
from that of Liveratos (250 oases), and had also commenced
operations on the Italian store, whence 5000 oases were required.
Work had, however, stopped before this quota had been reached.
I learned later that this pause was due to the representations
of the Italian Agent to the Minister of Finance, as a result of
which a delay of 24 hours had been granted.