'File 61/11 IV (D 77) Hejaz-Nejd, Miscellaneous' [‎20r] (47/366)

this document is the property of his britannic majesty's goyeenment.
EASTERN ( Arabia ). August 11, 1930.
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CONFIDENTIAL. Section 1.
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[E 4309/4309/91] No. 1.
Si?' A. Ryan to Mr. A. Henderson.—{Received August 11.)
(No. 184.)
Sir, Jedda, July 22, 1930.
YOU are aware of the difficulties under which the more purely diplomatic work
of this post is carried on. They are most painfully borne in on a person who is
trying to build up a stronger British representation here than has been possible in
the past. They result from the facts that the Legation is confined to Jedda; that
the King, personally inaccessible except on rare occasions when he comes here, is both
in theory and in practice the sole controller for Foreign Affairs; that the Ministry
for Foreign Affairs, such as it is, is in Mecca; and that the Acting Minister, who can
at least discuss questions though he can take practically no decision, has to divide
himself between fairly constant personal attendance on the King, now that the latter
is at Taif, the management of his office at Mecca and occasional visits to Jedda, made
at short notice and at irregular intervals. Fuad Bey Hamza—he prefers the ' bey
to the " sheikh," I understand—has been in Jedda for the following periods only,
since I arrived here on the 6th May ; —
The 8th May when he returned from leave and proceeded direct to Mecca.
Morning of the 17th May, when he came with the King to receive my credentials,
until the afternoon of the 18th May, when he went to Mecca to rejoin the King.
The 27th May to, I think, the 29th or 30th May, a short visit without the King.
The 7th to 12th June, in attendance on the King with whom he arrived and left.
The 11th July to the 18th July, without the King. Otherwise my personal
intercourse with Fuad Hamza has been confined to conversations by telephone, and
the telephonic service is only moderately efficient.
2. The difficulties of doing business are somewhat increased by imperfections
in the organisation of the Legation, but these are our own concern and will come
within the scope of a separate report. The other difficulties are more important as
regards diplomatic work proper. Opportunities of discussing really serious
questions with the King are reduced to a minimum. When he disappears into the
blue, and so far as he is concerned even Mecca and Taif are the blue, we cannot count
on any early opportunity of following up the discussions in personal conversation
with his Minister, except for an occasional enquiry over the telephone. When Fuad
Bey does visit Jedda, outstanding business of importance has to be brought up to
date in a frantic rush. There is no time at all to discuss the numerous minor matters,
which form the subject of notes, but which it should be possible for members of our
staffs to discuss personally from time to time in order to promote the settlement of
tiresome little questions and to relieve their chiefs.
3. I thought it desirable to make a statement of the whole subject to Fuad Bey
on the 17th July in personal conversation. He had spoken hopefully some time
before of the likelihood of Europeans being allowed access to Taif. On other
occasions he had mentioned to me a plan for holding weekly diplomatic receptions
at his office here and told me something of the difficulties which he himself
experienced owing to the King s exigencies and aptness to upset plans. We had
that morning been discussing " Bon Voisinage An agreement or treaty based on principles of 'good neighbourliness', often signed between countries which share borders. with Iraq and had reached a point
at which I had said that the King's attitude might impel His Majesty's Government
to instruct me to seek an audience before going on leave. The ground was thus weJ
prepared.
4. I was careful to say and to repeat at least once that I had no reason to
complain of the treatment extended to me personally. The King had shown me the
most distinguished consideration. When T was fortunate enought to get a chance
of talking business with Fuad Bey, I was treated in the same manner and found
myself face to face with a Minister of great ability. But I reminded Fuad Bey that
the King had desired a Legation and had told me himself that one of his objects was
to be able to open himself freely to a responsible senior official. I analysed the
situation on the lines of the earlier paragraphs of this despatch; laying some stress
on the impossibility of dealing with minor questions except by notes and reminders.
193 1—1]