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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎181v] (367/1062)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (527 folios). It was created in 6 Jan 1929-15 Jan 1938. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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91
* 9 . I am sending copies of this despatch to His Majesty’s High Commis
sioners for Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan , Iiac[ and Egypt.
(97)
(Received on 10th September 1932, with Political Secretary’s letter No. 34, dated
the 25th August 1932.)
P.Z.-5000!32,
Demi-official letter from C. F. A. Warner, Esq., Foreign Office, to
T. L. Renton, Esq., Department of Overseas Trade, No. E.-3802|3802|91,
DATED THE 20TH JULY 1932.
A certain Mr. C. L. Boucher, a consulting engineer, came to see us yesterday
with the text of a concession which the Imam of the Yemen has, it appears,
offered to an Egyptian ex-Prime Minister, Mahommed Sakaf ; the concession
grants rights of exploitation for minerals, including oil, over a strip of 100 miles
along the whole coast of the Yemen. Mr. Boucher had been consulted in the
matter by an associate of his, Mr. Mitchell, to whom the exploitation of the con
cession has been proposed by Mahommed Sakaf.
Mr. Boucher enquired what the attitude of H. M. Government would be in
the matter. I explained to him that we were not at present in treaty relations
with the Imam, but that correspondence was being carried on with him about
the negotiation of a treaty. I told Mr. Boucher that so long at any rate as we
had no treaty with the Imam we should not be able to give any official support or
assistance to a British concern engaged on the concession, but that from the
political point of view I, personally, saw no reason why H. >M. Government should
object to the proposal in principle ; if, however, Mr. Boucher or Mr. Mitchell
wanted an official statement of our attitude, they must write to us.
On perusing the concession it appeared that there were certain conditions
attached to it which excluded foreign participation, and a stipulation to the
effect that everybody connected with the matter must be Moslem. Mr. Boucher
said on this point that he understood that arrangements had been made to over
come these obstacles to British participation in the concession.
I told Mr. Boucher that we here were concerned purely with the political
aspect of the matter and that on the commercial side he should approach your
Department, and suggested that he should make an appointment with Farrer.
On ringing up Farrer, however, at Mr. Boucher’s request, I found that he was
away and that you were out. Ottewill, to whom I spoke, suggested that I should
send you this line in order that you might, if you saw no objection, ring up
Mr. Boucher and let him know when he could see you. His address is : 6 Queen
Anne’s Gate, Westminister, Tel. Victoria 2871.
I think that you will probably like to see him and read through the conces
sion, if only for purposes of information.
Enclosure 1 to Serial No. (97).
Fetter from J. P. Mitchell, Esq., Westminster, S. W. 1, to the Foreign Office,
London, dated the 26th July 1932.
I have the honour to approach you regarding an important concession
which I have been able to negotiate with the Imam of Yemen, and also in con
nection with certain general matters relating to this country.
Rocently Mr. C. L ; Boucher, a Partner in the Consulting Engineer’s firm
eSS T S ‘ ^ r ^ nam Muirhead and Partners, called on my behalf at the Foreign
Office where he was granted the favour of an interview, and following thereon
I now suggest a further interview for myself, at which I could briefly place
bet ore you certain suggestions which my knowledge of local conditions and the
influence which I believe I possess with the Imam lead me to think may be of
considerable interest to your Department. I
I conclude In saying that I am a Scotchman who has resided in Egypt for
over 2a 3 7 ears, and if I may be given the opportunity of placing before you the
points referred to above, I shall greatly esteem the favour.

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Content

This volume compiles printed copies of letters, telegrams, memoranda and newspaper extracts relating to Britain's involvement across the Arabian Peninsula during the period 1929-1938. Whilst the correspondence encompasses all matters concerning British interests in the region, much of it relates to Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] and the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia). Matters discussed in the correspondence include the following:

  • Reports of unrest in the Hejaz.
  • Relations between Imam Yeha Hamid-Ud-Din [Yaḥyá Muḥammad Ḥamīd al-Dīn, Imam of Yemen] and Ibn Saud.
  • Reports of raids and arms trafficking on the Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan -Nejd frontier.
  • Reports of the proceedings of British naval ships in the Red Sea.
  • Details of the Akhwan [Ikhwan] revolt against Ibn Saud, including the movements of one of the revolt's leaders, Faisal Dawish [Fayṣal bin Sulṭān al-Dawīsh], and his surrender to the British in Kuwait.
  • Relations between Kuwait and Nejd.
  • Relations between Iraq and Nejd, including a proposed meeting between Ibn Saud and King Faisal [Fayṣal] of Iraq, and reports of a treaty of alliance between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
  • Objections from the Hejaz Government to Royal Air Force aircraft flying over Nejd territory.
  • The purchase of arms by the Hejaz Government from Poland.
  • Ibn Saud's annexation of Asir.
  • The death of King Hussein [Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī].
  • Harry St John Bridger Philby's conversion to Islam, his mapping of Rub-al-Khali, and his reported spreading of Saudi propaganda in the Aden Protectorate.
  • The currency exchange crisis in the Hejaz-Nejd and the financial situation in the kingdom generally.
  • Reports on a survey of the water and mineral content of the Hejaz coastal area.
  • Relations between Soviet Russia and Saudi Arabia.
  • The emigration of Jews from Yemen to Palestine, via Aden.
  • British fears that Italy might harbour ambitions to annex Yemen.
  • Saudi oil concessions.
  • Italian-Saudi relations.

Prominent correspondents include the following: the British Agent (later His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires) at Jeddah; His Majesty's Minister at Jeddah; the High Commissioner for Egypt; the High Commissioner for Iraq; the High Commissioner for Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan ; the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kuwait; the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. (later Chief Commissioner, and later still, Governor), Aden; the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; His Majesty's Ambassador to Iraq; His Majesty's Ambassador to Italy; the Secretary of State for the Colonies; the Minister (and Acting Minister) for Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia); Ibn Saud; King Feisal of Iraq; the Prime Minister of Iraq; various officials of the Colonial Office, the Foreign Office, the Air Ministry, and the Admiralty.

The French material in the volume consists of several items of correspondence and a copy of a treaty between France and Yemen, which was signed in April 1936.

The volume includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (527 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

The items of correspondence are divided (roughly) into various sections. Each extract or item of correspondence within these sections has its own number, which is enclosed in brackets. These numbers proceed in ascending (and approximate chronological) order from left to right; however, the sections themselves proceed in reverse, from the rear to the front of the volume, in distinct groups (e.g. for 1929 numbers 1-23, which are located at folios 517-526, are followed by numbers 24-49 at folios 509-516, which are then followed by numbers 50-89 at folios 494-508, and so on).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 529; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: each section of correspondence within the volume (as described in the arrangement field) has its own pagination sequence.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎181v] (367/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2071, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061765164.0x0000a8> [accessed 17 June 2026]

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