'Memorandum on British Commitments to King Husein' [‎107r] (11/20)

3sal 2). In the same area
)n8, and our assistance in
Proposal 5).
His Majesty's Government
erif.
proposed to extend to the
n Oflice instructed him as
consent, you should not
nterests as paramount and
^ht give rise in France to
ing of Arab interests, but
ria at the expense of the
Sherif, Sir H. McMahon
/e to the Arabs her advice
the most suitable forms of
»s have decided to seek the
icb European advisers and
id form of administration
elegram No. 860, of the
e the French Government
s of Aleppo, Homs, Hama
b be ready to waive the
ab Government are to be
Britain alone for guidance
included not to meet the
interests. If the bitter is
incurrence of the French
shall consider myself free
y of State for India),
e Turks is our vital and
if influence for ourselves
smber, 1915 :—
the clause concerning the
t all advisers and officials
jome the idea of French
3 anxious to have British
to apply to the whole ox
passage in a letter, dated
rghani:— 19
Power than Great Britain
Lis from a purely economic
we none of us ignore the
)ower of Great Britain to
interior of the country in
^ because our friends
.rtisans against us for their
end their own interests m
j rulers.
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and the Mediterranean until we Income powerful enough to
defend (them) ourselves. It is therefore necessary to take such action as will
protect British interests and at the same time will preserve all the rights of
independence" (p. 117).
Later, on the occasion of the first French Mission to the Hejaz at the beginning
of October, 11)10, Sherif tlusein consulted His Majesty's Government through
A Mullah as to the form of his reply to the greeting brought by the Mission from the
French Government/ 21 And in the s^me connection he informed Colonel Wilson at
Jeddah that " he would much prefer that no one helped him except the British
Government" 22 Again, in telephone conversations on the 1st November, ID 16, and
the 2nd November, 1916, on the subject of Husein's assumption of the Royal title,
Abdullah referred to Great Britain as " our sole and respectable Ally, and the King
himself remarked that " if any other Government were to ask him to do what he was
doing now, he would not accept it, but knowing that the British (iovernment was
popular and just, he accepted to take it." ....
Such declarations must, of course, be discounted in view of the circumstances m
which they were made and the fact that they were made by Orientals; but there is
little doubt that they represent the genuine desire of King Husein and his sons.
Relation of Commitments under (v) to British Desiderata.
His Maiesty's Government have committed themselves to no special position
towards King Husein which is incompatible with their agreemeute with 1 ranee bo
long as our good relations with France do not suffer, it is clearly our interest that we
should have a predominant position with King Husein and any other Arab •
the independent area. On the other hand, one of the Kings s rouges '' Arab
seeking to place us in a special position towards himself, as representative of the Arab
movement throughout thl- independent area, is the idea that he may -ventualypky
us off against France. This appears, for example m the following p^sage on the
boundary question in bis fourth letter to Sir H. McMabon of the 1st January, 1916 .-
"I do not find it necessary to draw your attention to the fact that our plan .8
of greater security to the interests and presumption of the rights of t eat Britain
than it is to us, and will necessarily be so whatever may happen s » that
Britain may finally see all her own peoples in that contentment and
which she is endeavouring to establish for them now, espe y , whioh
being neighbours to ns will" be the germ of difficulties ^.on wUh w^ h
there wilfbe no peace of mind. In addition to which th « l^P 1 ®
decidedly never accept such lsoktlo ' ,; 'certainly not less than her
new measures which may exercise Great Bnta , y • 0 f our
present troubles, because of our belief and cer am y m Qciate with
interests, which is the onby cause that caused us never to caie to negotiate
any other Power but you " (p. 113).
His eagerness to deal solely wifh us thus has its embarrassing side.
(vi.) Sherif Husein s Title.
In bis correspondence with «irH. w^^terated in each of
to be speaking in the name of the Arab people. letter of the 28th Decem-
h,. 6,.! r,,,,,. U. (jp. «,«. .6 »3, » "■
ber, 1915 to Sir Ah Morgham (p. 117). Ine most emp
the following:— . . , a u ^
" Had it not been for the determmation s ^ cl S ^ e 1 ^ 1N t 8e if OQ one of the
attainment of their objects I wo.ild have pr^eu^ that I should guide
heights of a. mountain—but they, the a ,
the movement to this end ' (p. 95).
On the question of the boundaruv ot i '^''e peTsmal 1 demands 1 ^but acting as
to make it clear that he was not putting foiwa : n n11 estion.
mandatory of the Arab inhabitants ot the tein_ orus 1 Nationalist organisations.
This claim was based on his relations with ^eArab. ^ ^ their
civilian and military, which had sprung up m the Arab provinces
sn 201319/16. 22 220970/16.