'File 8/7 I Jidda Intelligence Reports' [‎132v] (264/536)

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cases of robbery alleged to have occurred in the neighbourhood of the frontier of
Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan . The information was passed on to the authorities concerned, but
the opportunity was taken of pointing out to the Saudi Minister for Foreign
Affairs that, now ratifications of the Saudi- Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan treaty had been
exchanged, the settlement of questions of this nature by frontier officers direct
should present no difficulty. Following the same principle, Sir Andrew Ryan
limited himself to oral representations on the 29th December regarding a case in
which it was feared that the Governor of Tebuk, having recovered camels raided
from Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan tribesmen, might hold them pending a settlement of counter
claims in respect of other raids on Saudi subjects, and was believed to have
actually retained a percentage of them as “ khidma ” or “ commission on loot.”
III .—Relations with Powers outside Arabia.
279. The question of the indebtedness of the Saudi Arab Government to
His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom and the Government of India
was the subject of a further note addressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs
fay Mr. Calvert on the 9th December. The debts are two, one large and one
considerably smaller, and the proposals put forward in the latest note suggested
the immediate liquidation of the smaller debt, and the payment of interest at
5 per cent, on the larger debt, the repayment in full of which at an early date was
also desired. It was felt that these proposals evinced on the part of His Majesty’s
Government a spirit of consideration for the present financial difficulties of the
Saudi Government. Fuad Bey, whom Mr. Calvert informed on the 10th of the
despatch of this communication, promised to take up the question personally with
Ibn Saud during his visit to Riyadh. No reply, however, had been received from
the Saudi Government at the end of the month.
280. M. Maigret, the French Charge d’Affaires, returned on the
3rd December, accompanied by M. Shukri Tawil, a member of the consulate also
returning from leave in Syria. The reappearance of M. Maigret in Jedda, if this
ungregarious colleague can be said ever to appear in Jedda, was not for long, as
he left for Riyadh by car on the 11th, accompanied by Haji Hamdi, his French-
Algerian vice-consul, and was joined en route by Fuad Bey Hamza. They reached
Riyadh on the morning of the 15th December, and left again on the
18th December, getting back to Jedda and Mecca respectively on the
21st December. The exceptional nature of this visit to the capital of Nejd,
foreshadowed by Sheikh Abdullah Suleiman some six weeks earlier (see
paragraphs 228 and 256), aroused considerable curiosity locally. Rumours to the
effect that the French Government were offering the Throne of Syria to a Saudi
prince, that they were engaging in active negotiations regarding the future of the ''W|
Hejaz Railway or that they were intervening in the Saudi-Yemen dispute may
be dismissed. There is strong reason to believe, however, that M. Maigret, despite
his bland and seemingly frank assurances on his return that he had gone solely to
gratify his passion for travel and to collect material for a book, did discuss
matters affecting the relations of France with Ibn Saud and was allowed to go
to Riyadh for that purpose as well as to achieve his more personal ambitions,
which would have sufficed as an inducement to M. Maigret himself to undertake
the journey, but hardly to induce Ibn Saud to authorise it.
281. The Diplomatic Body, apart from M. Maigret, pursued the inevitably
even tenor of official existence here. Signor Tonci returned from local leave in
Egypt, bringing his wife with him—a lady who has since maintained an almost
oriental seclusion. The successor to Signor de Peppo, the Italian Minister who
left in the early summer, is Signor Persico, who, however, is only to hold the rank
of Charge d’Affaires. The Persian Charge left on the 15th, but his
successor, Muhammad Ali Khan Maqdam, has still to arrive. The Egyptian
consul was galvanised into unwonted activity during the week of Talaat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
Harb’s visit and, when Sir Andrew Ryan visited him afterwards, had on show in
his study a very pretty display of samples.
IV.— Miscellaneous.
282. Sir Andrew and Lady Ryan returned from leave in the United
Kingdom on the 13th, via Port Sudan.