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'File 61/14 VIII (D 55) Relations Between Nejd And Iraq' [‎211r] (427/782)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (389 folios). It was created in 22 Dec 1928-29 Apr 1929. 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. .

Transcription

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-3-
As regards the battle, the shepherds appear
to have put up a magnificlent resistence. It is now stated
that they killed about thirty of the raiders, seventeen mares
and many riding camels. It is thought that twenty five of the
shepherds were killed, and about fifteen survived, having taken
refuge in some detached buildings outside the walls.. The action
raged for four hours, during any time of which the intervention
of even thirty or forty fresh men from the town would have
sufficed to repel the raiders. During ail these hours, however,
the gates remained closed. Orowds of spectators on the wails
(the final scenes of the battle, as attested by the dead horses
still lying there, were only two to four hundred yards from
the walls) witnessed this tragic contest of five hundred against
forty. Nothing more brutal can be imagined since the days
of the Roman Gladiators. It is stated that the many men within
the town, not only shepherds but sympathisers disgusted at
this brutal slaughter, struggled to get out of the gates to
assist the shepherds, but were prevented by the Shaikh»s men.
The Khirsan section were massacred and raided with others,
inspite of their tt khawa M and Ibn Subah»3 "Wajh w .
Bani Malik are absolutely positive in their
assertions that Araibdar themselves Joined in the raid. Firstly
there seems to be no doubt that the raiders, in tne night march
previous to the attack, actually passed through the Araibdar
camps. If any man of Araibdar had cantered on ahead he could
have warned the shepherds#
The latter swear that at least two of the
mares killed were recognised as belonging to Araibdar. It is
even said that one of the Hajruf Family, the Amirs of Araibdar
under Ibn Subah, was killed. One Khalaif al 3ashag, a ohaikh
of the Shuraifat, alleges that his women, who stayed in his
tent

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Content

The volume consists of letters, telegrams, and reports relating to affairs between the British Mandate of Iraq and the Kingdom of Najd. The majority of the correspondence is between Leo Amery, Secretary of State for the Colonies, Austen Chamberlain, Foreign Secretary (both in London), Henry Dobbs, High Commissioner in Iraq (later Gilbert Clayton, Acting Hich Commissioner in Iraq), Lionel Haworth, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in Bushire, Cyril Barrett, Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Bahrain, James More, Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Kuwait, Ibn Sa'ud, King of Hejaz-Najd and its Dependencies, John Glubb, Administrative Inspector in Iraq, Gerald De Gaury, Special Service Officer in Kuwait, the British Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Jeddah, and the Government of India.

The volume covers the period of unrest after a revolt by the Ikhwan , including a number of raids on Kuwait and the Battle of Sabila, which effectively brought the crisis to an end. Subjects raised are:

  • a raid on Kuwait by the Ikhwan;
  • an attack on a car on the Kuwait-Basra road in which an American Missionary, Henry Bilkert, is killed;
  • intelligence of tribal movements and activities, particularly those of the Ikhwan tribes of Mutair, 'Ajman, and 'Utaibah, and the threat and occurrence of cross-border raids, all gathered from reports by John Glubb, Flight Lieutenant Howes (Special Service Officer in Kuwait), as well as local rumour and reports;
  • issues concerning the defence of Kuwait;
  • the failure of Gilbert Clayton and Ibn Sa'ud to come to an agreement over the legitimacy of the desert 'police posts' in Iraq;
  • the thoughts, motivations, and capabilities of Ibn Sa'ud;
  • a second meeting between Ibn Sa'ud and Ikhwan leaders in Riyadh to try and resolve the crisis;
  • the idea of a blockade of Hasa ports to force the Najdi tribes into submission;
  • the Battle of Sabila and its aftermath.

Other subjects included are:

  • the imprisonment of Nuhaitar ibn Juraiyid of the Dhafir tribe in Hail;
  • the channels through which communication with Ibn Sa'ud should be made (i.e. through Bushire or through Jeddah).

Notable within the volume is a sketch map and extensive notes by Harold Dickson on the seasonal migrations of the shepherd tribes of the Lower Euphrates.

At the end of the volume (folios 378-382) are office notes.

Extent and format
1 volume (389 folios)
Arrangement

The volume is arranged chronologically. There is an alphabetical subject index to the contents, at the front of the volume (folios 3, 4). The index entries include the folio numbers of relevant documents, to help identify and locate them within the volume.

Physical characteristics

Main foliation: the sequence starts on the first page and continues through until the inside back cover. The numbering is written in pencil, circled, and positioned 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 irregularities: there is no folio numbered 2, instead, the second, third, and fourth folios have been numbered respectively 2A, 2B, and 2C.

Secondary, earlier foliation sequence: the numbers1 to 341 are written in pencil, but not circled, on folios that were subsequently renumbered 5 to 377.

Condition: the top left corner of folio 47 has been torn away, obscuring some text.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 61/14 VIII (D 55) Relations Between Nejd And Iraq' [‎211r] (427/782), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/584, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023663088.0x00001c> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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