The Southern Boundary of Qatar and the Connected Problems. Report by J G Laithwaite dated 26 Jan 1934 and Appendix dated 27 Feb 1934 [‎5r] (9/10)

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" Jafurah differs from the waterless Ruba-al-Khali only in possessing a few wells ot
very bitter water and a little scanty grazing; its surface consists of red and burning
sand.
" The Ajman venture into the northern extremity of Jafurah, but the only tribe who
frequent it to any considerable extent are the hardy A1 Morrah and even they avoid
^ entering it unless in winter or in search of a refuge from powerful enemies.
. . . While sojourning in Jafurah the A1 Morrah as a rule drink nothing but the milk
of their camels and even cook their rice in the same ; if compelled to swallow water
^ from the wells they first mix it with dried dates to make it more palatable. The
Wahabis have frequently waged -war upon the A1 Morrah, but Faisal alone, if local
tradition is to be believed, succeeded in penetrating with his troops as far as Banaiyan,
and his force was so reduced by the hardships of the desert march that he was
compelled on his arrival tliere to grant the tribe exceedingly easy terms."
II.—Anglo-Tdrkish Convention of 1913 (unratified).
El-Katr.
Article 11.
" Le Sandjak Ottoman de Nedjd, dont la limite septentrionale est indiquee par la
ligne de demarcation definie a I'article 7 de cette convention, se termine vers le sud
au golfe faisant face a Tile de Zahnounie, qui appartient au dit Sandjak. Une ligne
partant du fond extreme du dit golfe ira directement au Sud jusqu'au Ruba-al-Khali
et separera le Nedjd de la presqu'ile d'El-Katr. Les limites du Nedjd sont indiquees
par une ligne bleue sur la carte annexee a la presente Convention (annexe VA). Le
Gouvernement Imperial Ottoman ayant renonce a toutes ses reclamations concernant
la presqu'ile d'El Katr, il est entendu entre les deux Gouvernements que ladite
presqu'ile sera, comme par le passe, gouvernee par le cheikh Djassim-bin-Sani et par
ses successeurs. Le gouvernement de Sa Majeste Britannique declare qu'il ne
permettra pas au cheikh de Bahraine de s'immiscer dans les aflaires interieures d'El
Katr, de porter atteinte a I'autonomie de ce pays, ou de I'annexer."
[The blue line in question runs due south from the head of the bay opposite
Zaknuniyeh Island to the 20th parallel of latitude, where it meets the line of
demarcation between Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. and the Aden Protectorate laid down under the
Anglo-Turkish agreement of 3rd June 1914.]
III.—Mr. Piiilby's Journey of 1932.
Mr. Philby in his crossing of the Ruba-al-Khali in 1932 passed through the
Barr-al-Qarah coastal belt with the assistance of Ibn rliluwi and the Hasa authorities,
turning south-west at Salwa and proceeding thence to the Jabrin Oasis. The
following extract from his book " The Empty Quarter " is of interest, and supplements
the evidence of Mr. Bertram Thomas as recorded in paragraphs 16-18 of the Note ;—
p. 28. " Ali Jahman . . . rode far ahead gossiping about his experiences on
a recent tax collecting expedition to the south-eastern districts along the frontier
of Oman. ... I was interested to hear from him that Ibn Sa'ud's influence is
felt to-day in all the Dhahira countr} 7 , as they call the tract westward of the
Oman Massif, including, of course, Buraimi, a Wahhabi centre of long standing,
and apparently even Ibri. These tax collecting expeditions scarcely perhaps do
more than pay the expenses involved in equipping and sending them out, but
they do tend to spread the gospel of Wahhabi peace and Arabian unity. Slowly
but surely the ripples of stable government broaden outwards from the centre
and the Manasir may be counted to-day as subjects of Ibn Saud, who asks little
^ of them but the acceptance of his sovereignty and the maintenance of his
peace. . . ."
[N.B. —The Manasir tribe are concentrated in the Abu Dhabi area, ranging from
* Qatar to the Baraimi Oasis.]
jy—Note of Discussion with Sir Percy Cox on 20th February 1934 on Question of
Boundaries of Qatar.
Consequent on the recent investigations into the southern boundary of Qatar
Sir Percy Cox was good enough to come to the 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. on 20th February to
discuss the conversations reported in Colonel Dickson's despatch, Confidential, No. 143,
of 4tli July, to have taken place between Sir Percy, Ibn Saud and Major Holmes in
November/December 1922.