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'File 61/11 X (D 170) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous' [20r] (52/554)
The record is made up of 1 volume (270 folios). It was created in 20 Jan 1942-26 Jun 1945. It was written in English. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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I suppose that he hoped that the commissioner would be in contact with him,
too, if he were based in Iraq, and he certainly has a very high regard for
Sir Kinahan Cornwallis, under whose direction, I suppose, the commissioner
would work.
With regard to the frontier of Saudi Arabia and Iraq, he said that he was
ready to agree to one or two British representatives to arbitrate, adding that the
American surveyors (for demarcation) could be employed if we desired. He
said: "We are used to working with them," meaning the surveyors of
C.A.S.O.C.; a suggestion to which, I presume, the Iraqi Government would object.
He thought that an alternative and better idea would be to make a neutral
zone the whole length of the frontier.
The treaties in question and the articles in them about the frontier were
made under our direction, and we should not shirk our responsibilities in regard
to them now at the final stage. It was desirable to simplify matters as soon as
possible—there were too many "papers" now. It was very confusing. All
might be scrapped and embodied in a single new document once the frontier was
settled, but he felt quite certain that nothing would be done unless we pressed
the Iraq Government.
With regard to Jadaidat al Arar, he used almost precisely the same words
as Mr. Edmonds, and thought that it should not be difficult to settle.
Nuri as Said had spoken equally hopeful, if more plaintively, and had said
that they (Iraq) were ready to accept British, American or Egyptian arbitration.
" Tell Ibn Saud that we will accept you as arbitrator," he said.
Throughout this talk Ibn Saud's theme seemed to be that the Arab countries,
his own concluded, were dependent upon Britain for their existence and that we
must take a greater measure of responsibility in helping them if they were to
live through the coming strain upon them.
He gave as an instance of this what had happened in Iraq recently. We had
washed our hands clean of her internal affairs and had allowed her army to
become politicians to a man, from the drummers up to the C.I.G.S.
He became very animated in describing the iniquity of such a policy.
The Iraqis and other Arabs were not suited to such developments. The
guilt was ours. In peace time we should have two great military centres whence
we could move troops quickly. The local armies now should have with them
British officers who spoke the language, and they should not be allowed to go
beyond a limited strength in armaments or numbers. We must dictate to Iraq
this child of our creation if it were not to be a nuisance to itself, to us and to its
neighbours repeatedly.
London had been partly reduced to dust by German bombers, and he could
see no point in failing to face the realities of the present situation or the danger
in the future.
Thanks to the British Government, food prices were on the whole still quite
low in Arabia. He seemed to be satisfied with this, which had worried him so
much in 1939, and about the pilgrimage situation.
He produced the letter from Jemal al Hussaini he had promised to show me.
It was from Tehran and deplored their present quandary.
If this letter is a criterion, the Hussaini hopes are low, despite the German
advance in Russia.
He said that Jemal was the best of the family.
He had heard that I was going off to the Yemen, and if that were so, he
would help me to go by road. It was not such a bad road and if the Imam agreed
to my going, all arrangements would be made by him (Ibn Saud). He said:
" Yahya is a good man, but hopelessly ill-informed of what is going on, the poor
wretch (" al meskeen "), because of the pro-Italian clique round him', Raghib,
the Prince Ahmed, and the others who are all working for the enemy.' A visit
would be a good thing, and he would send letters for me."
At this point the chiming clock interrupted us to strike midday, the hour of
prayer, and I took the opportunity it gave to seek His Majesty's leave to
withdraw.
I have tried to reduce this lengthy talk into its essence, but with such an
animated and rapid talker, flitting rapidly among the affairs of several countries
at once, it is not an easy thing to do.
I have, &c.
GERALD de GAURY.
[25—12]
About this item
- Content
The volume consists of telegrams, letters, and reports relating to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Most of the correspondence is between the British Legation in Jeddah, the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Bushire, the Political Agencies in Bahrain and Kuwait, 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. and the Foreign Office in London, and the Government of India.
Much of the volume covers Saudi-US relations, including:
- US financial assistance to Saudi Arabia;
- the report (ff 146-147) of a medical tour of the country made by the American Mission to Bahrain;
- a trip to Kuwait made by Colonel Hoskins, President Roosevelt's Personal Envoy to Ibn Sa'ud in August 1943;
- the opening of a US Consulate in Dhahran;
- a secret report (ff 223-224) on 'America and Arabia' from the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Bushire.
Other subjects covered are:
- the report (ff 79-99) of a trip to Riyadh made by Tom Hickinbotham, 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. in Kuwait;
- the wartime supply situation in the region;
- the financial situation in Saudi Arabia;
- Ibn Sa'ud's relationship with Sa'ud bin 'Abdullah bin Jiluwi, the Amir of Hasa;
- telegraphic communications in the country;
- meteorology, including a report (f 181) on the British Meterological Party's tour of Saudi Arabia;
- Ibn Sa'ud's request for British military and financial assistance.
Also notable within the volume are:
- Gerald De Gaury's interview with Ibn Sa'ud (ff 19-22);
- annual summary reports on Saudi Arabia produced by the British Legation in Jeddah for the years 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1944;
- a letter (152-154C) from Bertram Thomas to the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Bushire following his trip across Arabia, detailing anything he thought might be useful for the British Government to know;
- a report (f 175) on the Saudi Arabian royal family by the British Legation in Jeddah.
At the end of the volume (ff 249-264) are internal office notes.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (270 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged chronologically. There is an alphabetical subject index to the contents, at the front of the volume (folio 2).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the sequence starts on the first folio and continues through to the inside back cover. The numbering is written in pencil, circled and 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. There are the following irregularities: 1A, 1B, and 1C; 28A and 28B; 154A, 154B, and 154C; 216A and 216B.
Condition: the broken spine cover is detached from the volume and enclosed in a plastic sleeve numbered folio 265, at the back of the volume. The plastic sleeve may cause some loss of sharpness to the digital image of the spine cover.
There is a second sequence that is inconsistent. It is also written in pencil but is not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'File 61/11 X (D 170) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous' [20r] (52/554), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/573, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023505691.0x000033> [accessed 25 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/573
- Title
- 'File 61/11 X (D 170) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous'
- Pages
- front, back, spine-a:spine-c, edge, head, tail, front-i, 1ar:1cv, 2r:153v, 154ar:154cv, 155r:185r, 186r:215v, 216ar:216bv, 217r:229v, 231r:232v, 238r:267v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence