'Eastern Bureau, Basrah Branch' [‎61] (114/188)

aggression from foreign Powers. On his side ibn Sa'ud engaged to hold
no correspondence with any foreign Power and to grant no concessions to
foreigners, to keep open the roads to the Holy Places and to commit no
aggressive act on other Shaikhs under our protection.
Ibn Sa'ud was unaware of the exceedingly confidential correspondence
which we had been carrying on with the Sharif during the winter of 1915-1910,
but the results to which it led could not leave him indifferent. Relations
between the Hijaz and Najd had been dictated by conflicting sentiments.
The Sharif had even more reason than ibn Sa'ud to fear the Turks, but he
was jealous of ibn Sa'ud's position as an Arab Chief, and the feeling was
reciprocated in Kiyadh. The fluctuating allegiance of the tribes is a rich
source of discord in Arabia, and the absence of any defined frontiers enhances
the uncertainty of claims and obligations. In 1910 the Shaiif 'Abdullah,
asserting that he acted on behalf of the Ottoman Government, marched to the
borders of the Qasim for the purpose of re-asserting an authority which was
probably a thing of the past and must at the best have been shadowy. The
tangible results of the raid do not seem to have been more than a re-insistance
on the Sharif's suzerainty over the distant sections of the 'Ataibah, a tribe
which had once been under ibn Sa'ud but had largely seceded to the Sharif.
4. smull tribute to Mecca from the Qasim villages was stipulated for by
'Abdullah before his withdrawal, but it is unlikely that it was ever paid.
Prom 1913 the Sharif showed strong anti-Turkish proclivities, and before the
outbreak of war he and Ibn Sa'ud drew together. They were in
dence when Captain Shakespear paid his first visit to Riyadh in
of 1914. In January 1915, they were acting in concert, and ibn
Captain Shakespear that in his view the Khalifate would revert to
correspon-
the spring
Sa'ud told
the family
of the Prophet, of which the Sharif was the representative, if it dropped from
the hand of the Sultan of Turkey. In November J915, 'Abdullah reappeared
in Najd, with what object is not very clear. His own explanation was that
he was sent on a mission to ibn Sa'ud, with the further purpose of collecting
dues in the Qasim and Sudair. Except for a doubtful suzerainty over
wandering sections of the 'Ataibah, the Sharif does not seem in Beduin
estimation to have rights in either province, his limits eastwards being some
where between Longitude 44° and Longitude 45° at Sha'arah, Duwadmi, Jabal
Dhurai and Jabal al Nir. 'Abdullah is not reported to have advanced much
beyond Sha'arah: he collected dues from the 'Ataibah, subdued the small
allied section of the Buraih (by origin Mutair) and returned to the Hijaz : but
ibn Sa'ud, barely emerged from a perilous contest in the Hasa, not unreason
ably regarded tho expedition as inopportune and even suspicious. (These
sentiments were reflected in his conversations with Sir Percy Cox in
He rtninded the Chief Political Officer that the Wahabis
no Khalif after the first four, and was careful to add that if
the Sharif should assume the title it would make no difference to his status
amonsr other
December,
recognized
&
rose in open
of the Arabs.
rulincr
o
Chiefs.)
rebellion
Ibn Sa'ud,
against
writing
Arab Bureau, 2nd August 1916.
expressed his satisfaction
In June of the following year the Sharif
the Turks and declared the independence
in July to the Chief Political Officer,
acknowledged the receipt from him of
official news with regard to the Hijaz,
at the discomfiture of the Turks, but put forward
his own apprehensions that, the Sharif might proceed to claim authority over
parts of Najd, and in support of this fear observed that in declaring the inde
pendence of " the Arabs " the Sharif appeared to treat them as a compendious
whole, an attitude which he regarded with anxiety.
In August he wrote again, saying that he had now received a letter from
Arab 91b A,.gu.t 19:6. tj 16 Sharif in . , the latter announced
the occupation of Mecca and asked him
for his help. Ibn Sa'ud gave a summary of his reply, and a copy of the original
Herewith enclosed. letter liaS sinCe been received. He
* assured the Sharif that he would render
all assistance which was in his power, but asked for a written undertaking
that the Sharif would abstain from trespassing in his territory or interfering
with his subjects. Ibn Sa'ud went on to ask Sir Percv Cox whether his
£ *