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'File E9. Philby's Mission to Bin Sa'ud' [55r] (109/242)
The record is made up of 1 file (121 folios). It was created in 13 Nov 1917-26 Jul 1918. It was written in English and Arabic. 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.
agreement. But ite appearance would inspire confidence.
Ibn Saud aeke for 2 heavy piecee and 2 Q.F,guns, In my
• opinion, a four-gun battery of Turkish "Mantelli 11 * guns or
errItorial converted would be cufficlent,more especially
as the weight of any heavier piece would prevent their
transport across the desert. Wheel^ed conveyance is not
pract cable,but by a system of slinging between camels,the
weight of the calibre enumerated would not be too great.
Here again,personnel to accompany would be necessary,and for
ciioice an Arab Officer and 12 other ranks, in
addition to the small party specified abovefor the maxims
and mountain guns. Come personnel for guns and maximB is
quite essential in any caee.
6. The pecuniary assistance,mentioned by Ibn Saud,is no
doubt necessary to a certain extent for the upkeep and
maintenance of his force,but continued only if Justified by
results and with periodical checking of the numbers engaged.
7. As already mentioned,Ibn Saud appears to be sincere
and even anxious to come to some arrangement for definite
action. If it is considered liiely that his main re
quire
A booklet formed of a single gathering of nested bifolia.
-
men ts will be met,he could probably be Induced to start his
preparations pending the arrival of what would be despatched.
Regard must be given however to the suitable time for conduc-
ting operations as previously alluded to.
8. In referring to the personnel retired for the max is*
and guns,possibly a Judicious selection from among the
prisoners taken from the Turks might be made. Having
regard to the peculiar conditions in -ajd,it might be
inadvisable to send other than Arabs.
Sd/, I', Cunliffe Owen,
Riyadh, Lieut.Colonel.
5th December 1917,
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence between British officials at Bahrain, Bushire, Baghdad and Kuwait, and Harry St John Philby, as well as ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin ‘Abdullāh Āl Suwaylim, Amir of al-Qaṭīf. The file concerns Philby and Robert Edward John Hamilton's 1917/1918 mission to ‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd (Ibn Sa‘ūd) at Riyadh.
The object of Philby and Hamilton's mission was to discuss Ibn Sa‘ūd's relations with Sharīf Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī of Mecca, Ibn Rashīd of Ḥā’il and the Āl Ṣabāḥ family of Kuwait. The file contains correspondence between the Captain Percy Gordon Loch, 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. at Bahrain, and Philby detailing the arrangements and progress of the trip to Najd and onward journey to Taif (for example. folio 7, 9-17. 39-49, 60-63), including a report on his first impressions of Ibn Sa‘ūd (folios 23-28) and details of an interview with Aḥmad Thāniyān (folios 30-32). There is also a memorandum by F Cunliffe Owens, deputed as a military expert on the mission, concerning military possibilities in Najd (folios 53-55).
In 1918, there is correspondence concerning Philby's meeting with Ibn Sa‘ūd in Hasa (al-Aḥsā’) (folios 76-78) and his return to Najd (folios 80-84, 107-114 and 120). There are deails within the correspondence concerning Ibn Sa‘ūd's dispute with Sharīf Ḥusayn of Mecca at al-Khurmah, the Kuwait blockade and the progress of the Mesopotamian Campaign (folios 92-98). In addition, there are also correspondence concerning the retrievel of Philby's lost baggage and supplying him with tobacco and a copy of Charles Doughty's Arabia Deserta (folios 79 and 115).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (121 folios)
- Arrangement
This file is arranged approximately in chronological order.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: This file has an uncircled foliation number in the top right hand corner or the centre of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/38
- Title
- 'File E9. Philby's Mission to Bin Sa'ud'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:114v, 115v:120v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence