'File 8/15 Arab Series - 1933-1939' [‎44r] (87/434)

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among the Ajman and Mutair. As for Ihn Hnmaid, Fuad Bey told me spon
taneously that appeals had been made to the King on his behalf but had net
been successful. He added that Ibn Humaid was not really bad-hearted but
rather a simple soul. I recalled the time when he had been so good a servant
that he had been one of the conquerors of Mecca.
b. I am sending a copy of this despatch to the 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 the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Enclosure to Serial No. (25).
Enclosure in Foreign Office covering letter dated 22nd February 1934.
Letter prom the Foreign Office to H. M/s Minister, Jedda, No. 68, dated
the 21st February 1934.
1 have considered your despatch No. 20 (1891106(3), of the 25th January
[Serial No. (25)], regarding the alleged murder by the Saudi authp'rities of
the captive Sheikhs Ibn Hithlain and Ibn Lami.
2. In view of the considerations advanced in paragraph 4 of your despatch,
1 approve your proposal that you should make no further representations to
the Saudi Government in the matter at the present stage.
(26)
(Received on 27th March 1934 with Political Secretary^ letter No. 9, dated the
1st March 1934.)
Enclosure in Foreign Office Covering letter dated 27th February 1934.
Letter from His Majesty’s Minister, Jedda, to the Foreign Office, No. 23
(226 61|6), dated the 29th January 1934.
I received on January 28, a despatch from His Majesty’s Commissioner in
Egypt, No. J of January 13, in which he was good enough to pass on to me certain
information irom the Polish Legation in Cairo regarding the visit of a certain
Monsieur M ilniewczyc to Jedda. A copy of this despatch has been sent to you
direct and you may perhaps be interested to recerbe such further particulars as
I can give.
2 . Monsieur M ilniewczyc in fact arrived in Jedda on or about January 8, and,
although he did not call on me, I met him the next evening at a dinner given bv
Mr. Philby, whose guest he was, in honour of the Amir Feysal. He left a week
or ten days later, having in the meatime conferred with the Minister of Finance.
3. You are aware of the circumstances connected with the arms and ammuni
tion imported by Ibn Sa’ud from Poland in the ss.“ Cracow ” in 1930. Half the
bill was paid at the time but half remained outstanding. The figures given then
and now do not quite tally but Mr. Philby confirms Sir M. Lampson’s informa
tion that the balance due is £30,000, meaning, I think, £30,000 gold. I gather
that the suppliers were a consortium of Polish arms factories, in which the
Polish Government are interested. They have tried more than once to get paid,
always without success.
4. According to Mr. Philby, the Sa’udi Government are now desirous of
obtaining a very large quantity of arms and ammunition from the same group.
He told me a few days ago in one of our usual confidential conversations that
M. AVilniewczyc had taken away with him for submission to his principals a pro
posal that, in consideration of receiving £7,000 or £8,000 as a payment on account
of the old debt, the Poles should supply further aims, etc., to the value of
£100,000. The aggregate of this new debt and the balance of the old would then
be paid off in instalments by means of irrevocable drafts on customs. I gather
from earlier conversations with Mr. Philby that there may also be a question of
reorganising the Government workshop at Mecca but he has not recentlv men
tioned this. I also gather that Sharqieh Limited would come into the business
in some way, presumably as agents.
5. I cannot be certain whether the above second or third hand account of
what is proposed is accurate. Personally I think that the Poles would be fools
to embark on so risky a transaction but much would depend on the nature of the
drafts on customs. If they took the shape of orders to pay periodical sums out of
current revenue, the business, though still risky, might be worth considering.
If, however, they took the more usual form of drafts to be accepted in payment
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