‘Jeddah Consulate.—Captain Beyts’ [‎125r] (10/12)

9
the^ Secretary of State will reserve his opinion
until he is in possession of the views of the
Crovernment of India.
It can scarcely be doubted that the existing
consular anangements at Jeddah are becoming
a scandal, and the Secretary of State in Council
will probably not hesitate to express an opinion
to that effect to the Secretary of State for Poreign
Affairs, upon whom rests the responsibility of pro
viding that ' Indian " as well as Imperial interests
are at all times properly represented."
The question is, whether the Secretary of State
in ^ Council will content himself with expressing
this opinion, or whether he will at the same time
make specific proposals for remedial measures,
and if so, what those proposals shall be.
It can scarcely be expected that any communi
cation to the Foreign Office which does not
embody some practical suggestions will lead to
immediate result, while it may be regarded as
certain that any suggestion involving an increase
of expenditure will be received with disfavour.
It is, on the other hand, clear that the experi
ment of appointing a trader as Consul at Jeddah
has failed, and ought not to be repeated; while it is
unlikely that any competent European, restricted
from trade, whether selected from the Consular or
Indian service, will accept the appointment on the
present terms of 400/. a year.
No efficient arrangement, therefore, can be anti
cipated which shall not involve some increase to
the present annual charge. There is, however, no
reason whatever why that increase should fall on the
Indian more than on the Imperial exchequer. The
interests involved are, as has been shown in the
correspondence, European and Oriental in the widest
sense of the terms. All Europe is concerned from
a sanitary point of view; and although no one Euro
pean State may be as actively interested in the
pilgrim traffic as is India, yet the aggregate of pil
grims from eastern countries (exclusive of India)
either independent, or the possessions of the various
States of Europe, probably equals, if it does not
surpass, the aggregate of pilgrims from British
India. Of the 493 persons on board the " Medina,"
468 were Malays bound to the Straits Settlements.
On this point, the following extract from a recent
number of the " Bombay Times," gives some in
formation :—
" The pilgrim season just closed was not remark-
" able for the falling off in the number of hadjis, as
" was supposed. Notwithstanding the troubled state
" of affairs in European Turkey, there were about
" 17,000 persons who came on pilgrimage via Egypt
'• or the Suez Canal, a fair proportion of whom
" were Turks from Syria and the Levant A geographical area corresponding to the region around the eastern Mediterranean Sea. . From
" Singapore, Java, and the Straits the number of
" pilgrims had increased, amounting fully to 8,000
" souls, which figure compares favourably with pre-
" vious years. From Bombay, over 6,000 hadjis
" have accomplished the pilgrimage."