'File 8/7 I Jidda Intelligence Reports' [‎68r] (135/536)

its clearing house for the pilgrims of all nations. Mr. Glick seems to think that
Islam needs pep.
W ireless.
235. It was announced on the 15th July that the new wireless stations had
been completed at Mecca (6 kilowatt), Qatif, Jubail, Hasa (Hufuf), and Oqair,
and that they were available for ordinary telegraphic correspondence. The
wireless station at Qaf was completed late in August. The charges for internal
wireless telegrams was reduced about the same time from 3 piastres miri to
2 piastres miri per word. Land-line telegrams between Jedda, Mecca and Taif
cost ^ piastre miri per word.
Legislation.
236. A new law on passports was published on the 1st July. It does nothing
to mitigate the hardship imposed on departing travellers, other than single season
pilgrims, by the rule that a guarantor must be found in case there should be any
claims on the person leaving the country.
A law on coastal fisheries, &c., is in course of publication by instalments.
Regulations governing postal packets were published on the 22nd July.
Census.
237. This measure, the announcement concerning which was mentioned in
the report for May and June (paragraph 174), was completed during the month
of July. Two questions arose in connexion with it, viz. :—
(a) Whether it could be claimed that forms to be filled up by the Legation
staff should be officially furnished to the Legation by the Ministry for
Foreign Affairs, and
(5) Whether, in the possible event of the measure being a prelude to the
eviction from the Hejaz of certain categories of foreigners, His
Majesty’s Government could claim right of residence for British
subjects and British-protected persons.
His Majesty's Minister telegraphed to the Foreign Office on the 5th July
requesting a ruling on these two points. On the 13th July, before the Foreign
Office’s reply had been received, the town crier announced to the inhabitants of
Jedda that anyone who failed to return his census form by the 16th July would be
imprisoned. Sir Andrew Ryan thereupon wrote a personal letter to the Ministry
for Foreign Affairs enquiring whether it was intended that the staff of the
Legation were to be included in the measure, and stating that, if so, he would be
willing to see that the staff completed the forms, provided that the latter were
officially sent to him for distribution
238. On the 16th July a reply was received from the Foreign Office
confirming the Minister’s presumption at (a), and stating that there would be no
ground for official protest against the deportation of individual British subjects.
It indicated, however, that semi-official representations could be made in certain
cases and that objection could be taken to any wholesale expulsion of persons by
classes. On the 19th July the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ reply was received
stating that the necessary number of forms would be sent to the Legation. These
were duly received, completed and returned. It was thought when the census was
announced that it would lead to a rush of applications for passports by British
subjects and British-protected persons, and a memorandum was accordingly
circulated to the British authorities most closely concerned giving a short resume
of the situation, so that they would be in a position to deal expeditiously with any
applications for passports that might be referred to them by the Legation. In the
event, however, the anticipated rush did not materialise. The result of the census
has not yet been published.
General Internal Situation.
239. The Ibn Rifada affair, which was dealt with in the last report under
the heading “Transjordan,” became in July and August the dominant feature of
the internal situation, and can best be dealt with here in conjunction with two
connected matters, viz., the Akhwan movement and the repercussions in the Hejaz
of the Ad-Dabbagh plot.
[571 dd—2 ] b 2