'Summary of the Hejaz Revolt' [‎83v] (18/30)

16
to both the Sherif and Feisal, but had not received a reply. The Sherif is known to have received these
letters. Maurice then saw the Vali of Damascus. Tahsin Bey, who stated he had been authorized to
spend up to fT500,()00 in gold, of which £T200,000 had already arrived, on propag-anda.
Tahsin showed Maurice a letter to Nuri Shaalan (see Appendix L), who had left the Turks and
gone to Qaf with his tribe, as his son Nawwfif had been arrested at Damascus in Julv and confined
at Zahle. The letter stated that Nuri must return to Damascus with 500 camel men, when he would be
p^iven £T 10,000, food for his bedouins and ritles, as well as the title of Emir of Qaf, and a first-class
Usmauieh. Maurice stated he at once wrote to Nuri warning him that the above was a trap and the fact
remains that Nuri Shaalan did not return to Damascus. During all this time Maurice's pose was that of i
Turkish agent working to induce the Arabs to return to their Turkish allegiance. He stated that Jemal Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. i
refused to allow him to go among the bedouin, but informed him he was to work with the Vali and the'
sum of £T400,000 (?) would be put at his disposal to raise a bedouin army of some 15,0<>0 men. The
Valis of Damascus, Adana. Aleppo and Beirut, with the Governor of the Lebanon appear to have formed a
committee for this purpose. While at Damascus two Sheikhs of the Metawalli tribe asked Maurice whv
the support which he had promised them on his previous visit to Syria in UH 6 had not been forthcoming.
Maurice stated that he had told the authorities concerued (British? Arab ?), bni nothing had been done,
but if would be different this time. Maurice had no authority for thus pledging the British authorities.
About the 7th December Maurice left Damascus in disguise and went to the Hammad, among the
bedouins, whom he invited to revolt against the "Turkish Government. Towards the end of December
he staled he accompanied a bedouin party with the object of raiding Tadmur, but apparently the raiding
pftrty thought better of it when some 6 hours journey from that place.
About this time Maurice stated he received a letter from Nuri Shaalan the gist of which was that he
was on the Sherif's side but could not join him as he was too far off and had many enemies. Ibn Kashid, the
Sherarat and the Anazah (?), but if the Sherif s forces came nearer {i.e. further north) he would join him at
once as long as he was given sufficient arms and ammunition and with the whole of the Beni Muslim (300.000
-400.000 ? men) would attack floras, llama, or anywhere else? {See Appendix L. The Rualla Nuri
Shaaian's tribe have now, August, 1918, detinitely declared for the Sherif).
He also stated he had received a similar message from tr-e Druse Sheikhs through Selim el A trash, that,
when the Sherif s forc es came nearer, they would join him and attack Deraa. Maurice arrived at Akaba
ab< 'Ut the beginning of January, 1918, He is said not to have been received favourably by Feisal.
APPENDIX F.
CUMULATIVE EVIDENCE OF ENEMY POLITICAL ACTIVITY IN ARABIA.
ln f pir<}d . ^ Remans, first showed signs of adopting a more conciliatory
policy towards the Arabs about the end of 1916. * t &
fT t0 the be ^ ,rini1 ^ of tbis change is seen in end of 1916 a message
F^ver n P ' ^ Khal1 ' Pa s ba 10 Mesopotamia dated the 27th December, 1916, in which
whkV t e hi ^ g collaboration with Ibn Rashid, concluded with a kmmary of Turkish policv, of
and^!o prevent new IrouWe ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ the «» ■uaiut.u'.lliaW
m /ZL!^ of . F >[kenhayn to comirand in Palestine in place of Jemal Pa^a No. 1 daring
the bH eve rtep Ml tins change of policy. Jemnl has lalnavs been looked on an , nen.y
^eci, wS l^delZred k^. <;re . h, K ™ reported as '• mak.ng love to the Druses." and in 'a
np wWu a W0Uld
of brb^nCcr^ Ctn tK f™, ? eredible >'■ the German awakening to the necessity
hitliej-to been thoroughly deceived by the Turks ^ w 8 */' ?"/ ^"i lm P ression t 1111 the Germans had
said " All we wanted was that von Aral m" t/ ' e f 0 #* 0 f P a g e % the Germans were reported to have
only way we could do anything for von Vn | 0U r ® turu to your alIe giance to the Turks, because that was the
fulfilment of all their a^aSX^re^ that ^ ^ ^erwards see the
akward dLc^ission refermur toThe massaer^in Sv terV1 n W ' kubImanE an( i Hakki Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. when after an
let^s put off ^ ^ ^ ^
very thoroughly. l ' a " I:rap l ' 0ur ^ uv ernment (German Government) now intends to assist yours (Arab)
goings on, and thaUhe methSs^f^ahfai?'^ to Ellver aild Talaat about military
Page 17 (centre) on letters to h I o ! f, haha d done great harm,
the Arabs, we have made a mistake before wi u^ n ' au ^ iaU ' r " - ves ' but we want to gain the friendship of
, PW to F emedy * now <** -ettle Arab affairs."
shall send some more." u e have already sent 200,000^. in gold to Damascus, and we
iWi 22 ycentve). —Jemal—Mauris " Ao f ^ n
us ami 1 am forced to treat them as if I ' believe inMem/'^^ 3 ' * ' 1 am ( l u ite certain they are against
ii equenUv exchanged messages and^etLrs bpnv ^ ^ tll f Q ues ti 0 n of the Khalifat" since then we
Paragraph 2.' —11 o wever, if the She^^nt^Jf ^ SulUn aud the Sherif."
^7^ tor ^>ra . . . ixis brorhor . lru e P eii deut we might consent to it and we might
'p' 1 ! 01 Islam visits him often We Invp a r ^ a0 T In ^ onstail tinople, he is very well treated,
and trvlT" me : ,t • • ' ^ 0 pe you wiil woik hlnl ^ ^ enough witb the Shcrif. Also the Neo-
.'ring thera back to their allegiance to us " a s " uw Lbe Arab people the error of their ways