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'File 61/11 VII (D 122) Hejaz-Nejd Miscellaneous' [‎156r] (328/454)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (223 folios). It was created in 23 Jun 1934-30 Apr 1936. 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. .

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THIS DOCUMENT IS IHE PROPE R!Y Of HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
J I ] ' ~ ' ~ ~
EASTERN (A rabia ;. November 8, 1935.
2- tyft/jS'
CONFIDENTIAL.
S ection 1.
!! (V
[E 6546/5599/25]
Mr. Calvert to Sir Samuel Hoare.—[Received Novemher 8.)
(No. 290. Confidential.)
Sir, Jedda, October 15. 1935.
WITH reference to my despatch No. 271, Confidential, of the 1st October,
relative to the reactions in this country to the present Italo-Ethiopian situation.
I have the honour to report further upon certain more general features of the
situation, and to add some details, of minor importance, supplementary to the
telegraphic reports submitted since the date of my despatch under reference.
2. I am informed by a fairly reliable source that the consignment of arms
and munitions landed here on the 5th October from the Italian steamship
Tripolitania, nominally from a firm in Italy to the Italian self-styled merchant
Signer Odello, but in reality from the Italian Government to the Saudi Govern
ment, reported in my telegrams Nos. 184 and 185, still remains in the Customs
Department here. The nine Italian mechanics, or instructors, who arrived from
Massawa by the same boat are therefore believed to have at present very little
to do. They still live in the Government-owned hotel here.
3. I am reliably informed that the consignment of 150 packages consists of
22 barrels, 1 large case and 127 cases of different sizes. This informant has more
recently stated the belief that the large case contains a car, probably an armoured
car, but that twenty-two of the smaller packages contain medical stores for the
Italian Legation. He added (on the 12th October) that it was reported that a
large travelling car, of some well-known Italian make,, luxuriously fitted with
dining and sleeping accommodation, with a wireless set, &c., was shortly to arrive
here as a present from the Italian Government to Ibn Saud, whilst to-day he
reports that an Italian ship, the Ernani, of the Industria Navali Soc. Anon.
Linia, is expected to arrive here to-day or to-morrow and to discharge a large
truck with trailer, weighing about 10 tons. This, he considers, might be the
caravan de luxe for Ibn Saud. Two experts are said to be accompanying the
vehicle for the purpose of assembling it on arrival and instructing the eventual
driver.
4. Since my despatch No. 232 of the 13th August, when I last referred to
the Saudi press and drew attention to the complete silence of the Umm-yl-Qd i a
and the Saut-al-Hejaz on the subject of the Italo-Ethiopian crisis, there has been
some change. Both organs have appeared with articles on the situation and
with copious reproductions of telegraphic reports from various sources on the
situation. The articles so far have not been in any way objectionable, and
generally, I '"Consider, mav be attributed to the authorship or inspiration o
Sheikh Yusuf Yasin. In some instances the news items have contained reports
of a probably erroneous and tendentious nature, usually emanating tiom ^ gypt,
and quite possibly of original Italian inspiration. For example, the repor o
the presence of sixteen Italian submarines in the Red bea was given some
prominence, and statements regarding the exodus of residents in gyp o sa ei
quarters in Palestine and Syria in fear of the menace of Italian aircraft rom
Cyrenaica were reproduced. As reported in my telegram 1 0 - ^ -i u 0 v ai p
opportunity on the 6th October of alluding, in conversation with Sheikh Yusui
Yasin, to the prevalence of misleading reports, and suggested that the Mecca
newspapers would do well to take care to avoid sensational news. 1 he
Umm-al-Qura, a newspaper which appears on Friday of each week, now announces
that it will publish a daily news-sheet (except Fridays), containing tele^iaph
reports of current events. . . ,. ., , ^
5. No further information has been received regarding the purchase of
camels by the Italians. It would appear probable that more information wi .l be
available in this respect shortly. Purchases would appear to have been made
[556 h—1]
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Content

The volume contains letters, telegrams, and memoranda relating to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Most of the correspondence is between the British Legation in Jeddah, the Foreign Office in London, the Political Residencies in Bushire and Aden, the Political Agencies in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Muscat, the High Commissioner in Trans-Jordan, the British Embassy in Baghdad, the Colonial Office in London, 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. in London, the Government of India, and Ibn Sa'ud.

The volume covers a wide range of subjects, including:

  • the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, including issues of the translation of the Treaty of Taif;
  • the planning, development, and financing of roads;
  • the differing characters of two of Ibn Sa'ud's sons, Amirs Sa'ud and Faisal;
  • the appointment of new ministers in the Saudi Arabian government;
  • the slave trade in the region;
  • an Egyptian commercial and financial mission to the country led by Talaat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Harb;
  • a general amnesty for all 'political offenders' given by Ibn Sa'ud;
  • new regulations on foreign ownership of property;
  • Ibn Sa'ud's effort to improve the Saudi Arabian standing army;
  • the French upgrade of their Consulate in Jeddah to a Legation;
  • the general financial situation in Saudi Arabia;
  • the proposal to restore the Hejaz Railway, including the lead up to a conference on the matter in Haifa in October 1935;
  • an attempt on Ibn Sa'ud's life in Mecca;
  • Saudi-Soviet relations;
  • the activities of the Saudi Arabia Mining Syndicate;
  • Amir Sa'ud's visit to Europe;
  • the death of 'Abdullah ibn Jiluwi, Amir of Hasa;
  • the prospect of Saudi Arabia joining the League of Nations;
  • new Saudi regulations on the importation, sale, and possession of firearms;
  • officer training for Saudis and Yemenis in Iraq;
  • the introduction of a special import tax at Jeddah to fund local schools;
  • Anglo-Italian relations;
  • the proposal to renew the Treaty of Jeddah of 1927;
  • unrest in Hasa due to the imposition of a 'jihad tax' on those who did not take part in recent fighting on behalf of the Kingdom.

Notable in the volume is an interview with Fuad Bey Hamza, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, extracted from the newspaper Ayyam (folio 34).

At the back of the volume (folios 207-213v) are internal office notes.

Extent and format
1 volume (223 folios)
Arrangement

The volume is arranged chronologically.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The sequence begins on the first folio and continues through to the inside back cover. The numbers are 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, 1C, and 1D; 88, and 88A; 165 and 165A. There is a second foliation system that is uncircled and inconsistent.

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English in Latin script
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'File 61/11 VII (D 122) Hejaz-Nejd Miscellaneous' [‎156r] (328/454), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/570, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023571188.0x000081> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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