'File 61/11 VI (D 102) Hejaz-Nejd Miscellaneous' [‎208r] (442/522)

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THIS document iS ) HE PROPERTY OF HIS B RITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT.
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Pi"- " ' ; z K ' V
EASTERN (Arabia).
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February 2, 1931
CONFIDENTIAL
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Section 2,
■ a
No. 1.
Siv A. Ryan to Mr. A. Henderson.—{Received February 2)
(No. 13.) * '
Sir, Jedda, January 12, 1931,
WITH reference to Mr. Bond's despatch No. 25 of the 20th January, 1930,
I have the honour to state that the anniversary of King Ibn Saud's accession was
celebrated for the second time on the 8th and 9th of this month in accordance with
a programme generally similar to that of last year and with equal pomp. On
this occasion there was no delegation of the Egyptian press, but there was a
sufficiency of journalists to provide for publicity and innumerable photographs
were taken by all sorts of people. The most active press representative present
was one Mahri Bey, an Arab of Mosul origin, who seems to have his headquarters
at The Hague at present and whose main line appears to be the supply of
European new T s to the papers of the Arab countries.
2. I had received your permission to attend the banquet, which I understood
would be given by the Emir Feisal in Jedda on the evening of the 8th January, if
I considered it politically desirable to be present, notAvithstanding the mourning
ordered by His Majesty the King for the Princess Royal. I learnt later that
there were to be four principal functions to which foreign representatives were
invited. As the head of the only mission of first-class political importance here, I
felt that any abstention on my part would be seriously misinterpreted in Jedda
and Mecca, especially as I had had no previous opportunity of meeting the Emir
Feisal, who now combines the functions of Minister for Foreign Affairs with those
of Viceroy of the Hejaz. I therefore accepted the various invitations. C 511 ®
the social functions projected, a tea-party at Kandara on the afternoon of the 8th,
was in the event countermanded. Although no express reason was given, I was
told privately by Fuad Bey Hamza that this change in the programme was
intended as a mark of respect to the memory of the Princess Royal. I felt it all
the more incumbent on me to attend the other functions. In my private letter
thanking Fuad Bey and expressing satisfaction, I added that the gesture of the
local authorities would be greatly appreciated in England, and explained that
was interrupting a period of mourning for an event deeply felt at home m cider
to be present at the various celebrations.
3 On the morning of the 8th January, my colleagues and 1 called on tne
Acting Governor of Jedda. Early in the afternoon the Emir Feisal gave me a
special interview, which had been arranged by iuad Bey. His Roya ig mess
was very civil and very nervous. I cannot say that my first impression ot him
was favourable. He has the hue features of his family and he does not show m
his face the signs of dissipation which I expected. He lacks however both the
charm and the physique of bis father and his elder brother, the ,
repose he wears a look of jaded melancholy and hstlessness an 11 ® ® , J?,
agreeable, are sickly. In my own slight intercourse with him on the 8th and 9th
January, he gave little evidence of keenness or mtelhgencB oug ; n ter-
with his own entourage he seemed confident and qmc^ m ■ y . ,
prefer whom he employed at my private interview was "l^pable^ 1 ^
intended to talk much business on such an occasion and, owing to the difficulty o
u-ettiri"' anything of importance translated, I limited myself still further.
enquired as to whether my letters to Fuad Hamza and the King m connexion with
enquired as to wnetnei mv forwarded to Riadh and when they
the proposed visit of Colonel B ^ coe that he had forwarded the letters,
might be expected to arrive, ine rnnce sa Mv nnlv nthpr attemnt
but hie; rpnlv in mv second question was hopelessly vague. My only otner attempt
out nis reply to my secona que ^ behalf of two p rlson ers, one a British
at business was to |W ea ' t0 • , too lono . on a doubtful charge, the other, a
Indian, who has been deta S p^i 0 ns O offence but who appears to have been
Hadramx, who may be guilty of a serious , clemency on royal
barbarously tr e®t^- p to look Sto the two cases. "
anniversaries and the I ' } - ■ ■ p j „i at Kandara on the afternoon of the
4. The review held by the Emir Feisa^at ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
8th January, presented f ® atu 5, es A ?L t0 be Director of Military Organisation,
appointed a certain Nabi Bey el-Adlima to oe jjhc
b—2]
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