'File 8/15 Arab Series - 1933-1939' [‎108r] (215/434)

2 . The hundred yards of road lies outside the Medina gate of Jedda on
ground which, owing to its firmness, one might mistrust as a reliable test
for a road which, if and when constructed will have to pass on its way
to Mecca over hills, wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. beds and shifting sands. No special prepara
tion, as far as could be seen, was given to the foundation, the land merely
being levelled and the asphalt laid. As for cost, it is now said that the
estimate for laying the whole Mecca-Jedda road is less than the £45,000
quoted in my despatch under reference, but the exact figure is not known.
3. Talaat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Harb is reported to intend visiting the Hejaz after
Ramadhan which ends with the end of December, so the roadway project
may then be re-examined and a decision taken whether or not to proceed
with the construction of the Mecca road.
4. I am sending copies of this despatch to the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs in the Department of Overseas Trade, His Excellency the'
Viceroy of India and to His Excellency the High Commissioner, Cairo.
(6B)
(Received on 8th December 1935, with Political Secretary'' s lettet No.
dated the 21st November 1935.)
Letter from H. M.’s Charge d’affaires, Jedda, to the Foreign Office,
No. 277, DATED THE 8TH OCTOBER 1935.
With reference to my despatch No. 227 of the 6th August last [S.
No. (57)], relative to the activities of the Saudi Arabian Mining Syndi
cate (Limited), I have the honour to report that Mr. K. S. Twitchell re
turned to Jedda on the 6th October,, after his visit to England, during
which he paid a flying visit to New York. He was accompanied by two
Englishmen, Messrs. T. P. Larken and D. L. Gibbs > and six Swedes, the
latter having engaged, as expert diamond drillers. He informed me
shortly after his arrival, that he expects two Americans to join him. within
the next few days, and hoped that his machinery would not be long in
arriving*.
2. Mr. Twitchell and his party have taken up their quarters in a
house in the “Legation quarter” of the town, which he leased just before
leaving here last July. He intends to make the premises his head office
in this country.
3. He stated that he would be leaving for the “Cot oif Gold’ in about
two or three weeks, and expressed his satisfaction at the preliminary work
already accomplished. One of their chief difficulties, he added, would be
the question of water supply, and he anticipated that he might have to go
some distance to obtain adequate supplies.
4. During Mr. Twitch ell’s absence, M. Van de Poll, who has been in
general charge, and Mr. Shanks, the Australian, with other men^iers of
the personnel, have been active. Mr. Shanks, in particular, has been in
charge of road-making operations, along the alignment Jedda-Asfan-Ai
Birka-Mahd-Adh Dhahab, to which a reference was made in my despatch
under reference at paragraph 8, and in regard to which it is believed con
siderable progress has been made.
5 . I am sending copies of this despatch to the Department of Overseas
Trade and to 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 .