'File 8/15 Arab Series - 1933-1939' [‎155v] (310/434)

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4 . I found that Mr. Philby had spared no pains to proclaim the merits
of Sa’udi Government at every opportunity and to assert how well the people
of the Hadhramaut would fare were they to come under the rule of Ibn Sa’ud.
Mr. Philby declared the country between the Western boundary of the Hadh
ramaut and N.ajran to be a ‘‘No man’s Land ” which would soon be taken
over by Ibn Sa’ud. This includes Shabwa and A1 ’Abr, of which Shabwa
(which is actually more to the South than shewn on existing maps) is well
inside the Protectorate both tribally and geographically, while A1 ’Abr (which
is on the main route from Najran to the Hadhramaut) is also well within
the violet line and is in the territory of the Ahl Sei’ar (Sir Bernard Reilly’s
Secret telegram No. 20 of 19th March 1936 and Mr. Ingram’s report—Chapters
I and XIX).
I have no reason to doubt the truth of the statements made to me which
were given by responsible and reliable persons.
5. Mr. Philby also spread abroad that Ibn Sa’ud “ intended to make a
road for motor traffic from Mecca to the Hadhramaut ”, as already reported.
I have not the opportunity in this despatch to comment on the advantages
of such a road being constructed. But were such a scheme to be considered
it would be a matter for His Majesty’s Government to discuss with the Sa’udi
Government, and for Mr. Philby to proclaim that Ibn Sa’ud “ intends ” ^
to make the road, as if the country immediately to the West of the Hadhra
maut was Sa’udi territory and not part of the Aden Protectorate, is
gross impertinence.
6 . I do not think that much attention was paid to Mr. Philby’s Sa’udi
propaganda by those who really count in the Hadhramaut and Qu’aiti terri
tory and possibly the visit of the Air Officer Commanding and myself with
five aircraft immediately after Mr. Philby’s visit counteracted to a certain
extent its effects. But there is always a faction in most communities who
are anti-Government and an easy prey for foreign intriguers and the
Hadhramaut is no exception, added to which there is an Irshadi element
which has for some years been trying to overthrow the influence of the Seiyids
of the Hadhramaut and to spread the tenets of the Wahabi faith. I, there
fore, take a serious view of the diffusion of any determined Sa’udi propaganda
in the Hadhramaut such as that in which Mr. Philby has recently been engaged.
7 . I am not in a position to give an opinion as to whether Mr. Philby’s
recent activities had the support of Ibn Sa’ud. Mr. Hope Gill, who has known
both for some years, thinks not. Possibly Mr. Philby’s apparent desire to
cover the whole"of Arabia in the course of his travels and to try to be the first
European to cross an unexplored route or to visit a town of historical interest
(in this case—Shabwa) may have furnished the real reason for his recent
journey, and that, being such an ardent admirer of Ibn Sa’ud, he could not
resist the temptation to proclaim aloud the virtues of his hero, but, in view
of the conversations now being conducted by His Majesty’s Government with
the Sa’udi Government over the boundaries of Sa’udi Arabia, and of Ibn
Saud’s tendency to claim more than His Majesty’s Government is willing to
cede it is quite likely that Mr. Philby’s intrigue may have had the unofficial,
if not the official, support of the King, and that it was financed by the latter
{vide last paragraph of Royal Air Force report enclosed).
In any case, as Mr. Philby is the protege of Ibn Sa ud, I assume that
His Majesty’s Government will take up this matter with the Sa’udi Govern-
-■rnent and address a strong protest.
8. Presumably Mr. Philby still calls himself an Englishman and I under
stand that he is in receipt of a pension from the Government of India. It is
all the more to be deplored, therefore, that he should deliberately work against
the interests of Great Britain.
9 I enclose copies of two recent reports—one from the Intelligence
branch of Air Headquarters (which is probably rather exaggerated as re
gards the paragraphs 4 and 5) and the other from His Highness the Sultan
of Shihr and Mukalla.