'Arabia: The Nejd-Hejaz Feud' [‎13v] (7/8)

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of Doughty are sufficient to show Jat Sun^was o„ the other
1. 1 d « snVr^ s
effective j urls,1 ' ctl0 ° 0 V ! t „n li^ from' taxation, which the peop e of
Saud claims that the 0 "|' jjj j". was conferred upon them by Saud the I'list
Kimrina have enjoyed, and stil J . ' Sppord the real founder of the Vv ahhabi
(or possibly Sand the ^^eat, ».e., >-ai ^ nor tlie Tllrks l m ve ever collected
Empire), ft is fairly certain th f " e ^ j 0 J Khurma-a fact which goes far to prove
a mite by way ol taxation 11 om , ^ admitted ^ people of Khunna cannot well
their claim to independence. c J. ^ nnf j„ r |] ie suzerainty of a power in which
be blamed if they choose to place otpiehed by religions, geographical, racial
n s; sftrett l£Sszsa& s f **' & k ■!>*•»
".it.: h ".nr..".".,.!. u.»"»»«' 'K" " i « i — 10 ,h "
lights. ' , .
The above remarks. I trust, will be sufficient to show that at any rale there is a
cood ca-e for im-stigation and that no «x par opinion can dispose of it satisfactonb •
The two reverses to his aims which I have reported have doubtless proved iiijuuoas
to the Sheriff's prestige, but he has no one to blame for that but himsell. I note that
tL High Commissioner considers that the Sheriff regards Khurma as his ternlory
" apparently with reason," and that he does not doubt the smcenty of nis assniances
that Shakir will not advance cast of Khurma to attack Ibn Sand s subj. Us. U >
iemarks are intended to indicate "that no action is being or has been taken 1o
prevent the development of the Sheriff's operations and that His Majesty s Govern-
ment approve of thus letting events run their course, I can only say L regard the
situation with the most lively apprehension. Until the worst comes to the worst
however, I cannot believe that His Majesty s Government, after then nnpaitia
warning to both rulers to refrain from provocative action, will allow one of the
• • .t .k +v.r.+ +n rlisT'f* otitc I it in t,he verv matter in respect of which, it
Finally, a word as to the " activities of Akhwan agents who are evidently at the
root of the trouble." To the best of my belief the somewhat vague and often'
reiterated accusation that Akhwan agents have of late been busy undermining the
influence of the Sheriff has never been substantiated. In any case it is scarcely
applicable to the case of Khurma, whose inhabitants, lock, stock, and barrel, have
always been Wahhabis and are all Akhwan and as such require no proselytising.
The abortive mission of the Sherifhan Qadhi on the other hand is clear enough
evidence that it is the Sheriff who is guilty of interfering with the religious liberty
of the people of Khurma. This is no mere vague accusation based on Wahhabi
reports, but is fully borne out by the evidence of the letters of the King's son,
Abdulla, of which I have already forwarded translations. Incidentally I may
mention that present Wahhabi priest of Khurma and his father before him have
occupied the post without a break for 60 years, the father having been appointed by
Faisal.
APPENDIX II.
The alleged Treaty between Bin Saud and the Sherif.
The War Office have recently raised the question, at the instance of Colonel
Laiirence, of the existence of a treaty between Bin Saud and Kin"- Hnsain
assigning the Khurma region to the latter. The position appears to be that in the
ViV 3 tlle • , lf ' tak . ing advanta g e of a revolt in Southern Keid, sent his
Abdullah to invade Qasim. .The invasion was not completely successful but Bin
Saud was forced to accept the Sherif's terms, which included the stipulation th-it thp
great tnlies lying between *ejd and the Hejaz should be outside Bin Saudl sphere
In .) Abdullah again led an expedition to enforce the terms of the 1910 treatv K.if
peace was patched up and Abdullah retired. } ' but