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'File 61/11 VI (D 102) Hejaz-Nejd Miscellaneous' [‎216r] (458/522)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (259 folios). It was created in 2 Feb 1931-30 Aug 1934. 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. .

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!HIS DOCUMENT_IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIH MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT.
EASTERN (A rabia).
U
i ulru'll''
/.vM/
r, & C ' i ■
CONFIDENTIAL.
[E 1601/569/25
March 30, 1931,
S ection 2.
No. 1.
SzV A. Ryan to Mr. A. Henderson.—(Received March 30.)
(No. 81.)
Sir, Jedda, March 6, 1931.
IN my despatch No. 80 of to-day's date I have had occasion to mention the
visit of Mr. Charles R. Crane to Jedda. As this event has attracted a good deal
of attention, it may be worth while to make it the subject of a report.
2. It will be remembered that Mr. Crane visited Jedda at the end of 1926,
as recorded in the Jedda report for December of that year. He did not then meet
Ibn Saud, but they exchanged presents. His recent visit would appear to have
been arranged by Mr. Antonius, who was formerly employed in the Palestine
Administration, and who assisted Sir G. Clayton here at various times from 1925
to 1928. I first heard of it from Mr. Philby, shortly before I received a telegram
from Sir John Chancellor on the subject.
3. Mr. Crane appears to have come specially from America to accomplish
his personal visit to Ibn Saud . He arrived here on the 25th February and left on
the 3rd March. He was accompanied by Mr. Antonius. He stayed, by his own
request, at the house of a local notable who had entertained him in 1926. He saw
a great deal of the King in one way or another, both by special arrangement and
at functions.
4. In 1926-27 Mr. C rane was mal vu in French and British official circles
because of his association with Syrian revolutionaries. I have no full information
on the subject, but my French colleague here tells me that, in his opinion, the
French authorities took a rather exaggerated view. He seems to regard
Mr. Crane as an amiable busybody, who makes oriental peoples his hobby and who
has money to burn, although he does not burn it as freely as he is sometimes
expected to do. My own observation tends to confirm this. Mr. Crane called on
me, and I entertained him a little during his stay without going beyond the
courtesy which it is natural to show in this place to any distinguished vxsi or.
He rode his hobby all the time, caracoling from Turkey to the Far East, and le
seemed to be merely an interested, though sympathetic, observer of expeumen s m
uplift in the various countries. He dwelt greatly on the many t nngs e a seen
there from benevolent motives. His \ isit to Jedda was /uia e t
he was going to give or lend Ibn Saud a handsome sum o mone}. ; *
heard what passed between them, except that, w en e vl ^ • ii c a ^
Mr. Philby's on the 28th February, the conversaUon turned on aitesian\,ei b
Mr. Crane offered to arrange for his engineer ia ^. r e f r •
on his next voyage up the Red Sea to size up the possi 1 1 ,. " water in his
Dcmhiioif' Mcepte^the'^er de ^rhT 1 eonversation, in whicS it was made and
accepted and at which I for Egypt.
and fhe poMcal re.dent and
the
Commander-in-chief at Aden.
I have, &c.
ANDREW RYAN
It
[ 12 1 gg—2]

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Content

The volume contains two original files bound together. The first file (folios 1A-207) has the original reference 61/11 VI (D 102) and covers the period 7 November 1933 to 30 August 1934 and relates to Hejaz-Najd affairs. The second file (folios 208-243) has the original reference 61/6 VII (D 95) and covers the period 2 February 1931 to 5 August 1932 and relates to Najd affairs. Both contain letters, telegrams, memoranda, and reports sent 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 High Commissioner in Baghdad (later the British Embassy following Iraqi independence in 1932), the Colonial Office in London, the Government of India, and Ibn Sa'ud.

The main subject of the first file is the territorial dispute between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Contained in the volume are papers concerning Saudi Arabian advances into the territories of 'Asir and Yemen and the subsequent Treaty of Taif that largely settled the dispute. There is also coverage of diplomatic conversations between Italy and Britain regarding the dispute, including secret talks in Rome. Included is the full Arabic text of the Treaty (folios 143-150A) and an English translation (folios 156-177).

Other subjects covered in the first file are:

Notable documents contained in the volume are a report on the heads of foreign missions in Jeddah, and a revised (June 1934) report on the leading personalities in Saudi Arabia.

The subjects covered by the second file are:

  • details and significance of a resurgence in war dancing by the Saudis;
  • the visit of Charles Crane to see Ibn Sa'ud;
  • a request for military assistance made by Saudi Arabia to Turkey;
  • the conditions of entry into Hasa for Hindu merchants.

At the end of each file are several pages of internal office notes.

Extent and format
1 volume (259 folios)
Arrangement

Each of the two separate files which make up the volume is arranged chronologically.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The sequence starts 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 anomalies: 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D; 11A and 11B; 24A; 30A; 132A; 143A; 150A; and 236A. There are two other sequences, both uncircled and incomplete.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 61/11 VI (D 102) Hejaz-Nejd Miscellaneous' [‎216r] (458/522), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/569, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023576506.0x00003b> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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