'File 8/15 Arab Series - 1933-1939' [‎93r] (185/434)

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Enclosure to Serial No. (30).
Letter i uom H. E. the High Commissioner for 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 , to H. M.’s
Minister, Jedda, No. l.C.j64j32, dated the 14 th February 1935.
I have the honour to refer to my communication No. T.C.I64I32 of the 7th
July 1933, in which was enclosed a copy of my secret despatch of the same date
to His Majesty’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Baghdad,
on the subject of the admission of Hamid Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. al Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. to Trans-Jordan, and
to inform you lhai Hamid Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. has now requested that he may be absolved from
lis undertaking not to enter Trans-Jordan without ni}’ permission or that of the
British Kesident.
2. Lieutenant-Colonel Cox recommends that Hamid Pasha’s request should
he granted, but having regard to the complaints made in the past by the Saudi
Government, to tiie eiiecl that Hamid Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. was implicated in anti-Saudi
intrigue, I shall be grateful for your advice whether the removal of the restric-
t.on oi Hamid Pasha’s entry into Trans-Jordan would be distasteful to King
Abdul Aziz and his Government, or likely to arouse renewed suspicion in their
nr nds.
3. 1 am sending copies of this despatch to His Majesty’s Principal Secretary
ot State tor the Colonies, and to His Majesty’s Ambassador at Baghdad.
(31)
Enclosure in Foreign Office covering letter, dated 8th April 1935.
(Received on 23rd April 1935, with Political Secretary's letter No. 15, dated 11th
April 1935.)
Letter from H. M.’s Minister, Jedda, to the Foreign Office, No. 56, dated the
24th February 1935.
With reference to my despatch No. 4 of the 7th January [Serial No. [24)1,
1 have the honour to state that the text of the agreement between the Saudi Gov
ernment and the Saudi Arabian Mining Syndicate (Limited) was published in the
Umm-al-Qura of the 15th February, together with a Royal decree dated the 12th
February sanctioning the agreement. It may be assumed that the syndicate
had already ratified it.
2. The agreement is a fairly lengthy document, and I consider it unnecessary
to trouble you with all the details. I enclose a synopsis showing the principal
conditions. In the absence of the annexed map it is difficult to trace the exact
boundaries of the assigned area on the south and east, but a very fair idea of
them can be formed with the aid of the ordinary maps and the Handbook for
Arabia, You will observe that the northern boundary is the de facto frontier
between the Hejaz and 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 , starting from “ Point E ”, the position of
which is defined as in the Hadda Agreement.
3. Mr. Twitchell duly visited Egypt and Syria as foreshadowed in my
despatch under reference and travelled as far east as Rutba, whence he went to
see the alleged gold mine at Gaara. He then proceeded for a short time to
England. lie returned to Jedda on the 17th February and is now making active
preparations to start his prospecting campaign at four places, all of which are
in the northern part of the assigned area and the most important of which is the
“ Got of Gold ”, where he has previously done some preliminary work. He has
collected two mining engineers, a British subject named George, who has had
much experience in India, and a United States citizen named Ballard, besides a
cl rical assistant named Bisshopp. He expects a third mining engineer from
Australia. M. van de Poll, who was mentioned in my despatch under reference,
has already been busy up Medina way and Mr. Twitchell describes him as having
done magnificent work. I gather that the general headquarters of the prospectors
will be in the first instance at Yanbu’, where a house has already been rented.
Mr. Twitchell is certainly tackling his enterprise with great energy.
4. I am sending copies of this despatch and enclosure to the Department of
Overseas Trade and His Excellency the High Commissioner for 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 at
Jerusalem.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Synopsis of the Principal Clauses in the Agreement of December 23,1934, betweert
the Saudi Government and the Saudi Arabian Mining Syndicate (Limited).
The Syndicate to have exclusive rights of prospecting and digging for
metallic substances in the assigned area, for two years.