'File 8/15 Arab Series - 1933-1939' [‎155r] (309/434)

Enclosure 7 to S. No. (1).
Telegram from Acting Resident, Aden, to Mr. Philby, Mukalla, No.
C/1447, dated 7th September 1936.
I have been instructed by His Majesty’s Government to request you to
withdraw your Sa’udi armed party from the Aden Protectorate as soon as
possible and to inform you that it would have been preferable for you to have
informed British authorities of your intention to visit protectorate before
your visit took place.
Reference your signal of 2nd September. I appreciate that necessity
took you into the Hadhramaut but as far as I am aware necessity did not
take you and your Sa’udi armed party to Shabwa which is definitely within
the Aden Protectorate. Further the Ahl Karab who roam the vicinity of
Shabwa and whose Chief lives there are nominally vassals of the Upper Aulaqi
Sultan (Handbook of Arabia). The recognised Northern boundary of the
Aden Protectorate from near Dhala North eastwards is indicated by a N. E.
line and is as you state undemarcated and to a great extent unexplored and
the political status of territory South of this line which includes Shabwa
is not a matter for discussion as it is de facto under the protection of His Ma
jesty’s Government. The Bal Harith tribe N. E. of Beihan A1 Qasab are
under the Sharif of Beihan who is a treaty Chief, and I must request you with
your Sa’udi armed party not to enter Beihan territory including that of the
Bal Harith unless traverse across a portion of the latter is necessary for
topographical reasons, and should you desire to visit Beihan yourself
unaccompanied by armed Sa’udis to inform me before you leave Mukalla.
Your spare parts should leave Aden tomorrow.
Enclosure 8 to S. No. (1).
Cypher telegram from the Resident, Aden, to the Secretary of State
for the Colonies, No. 71, dated 9th September 1936.
(Repeated to Jedda.)
Following reference Philby from reliable Hadhramaut sources. Philby
told Hadhramaut notables of Ibn Saud’s intention of constructing motor
road from Mecca to Hadhramaut. 300 men with Philby distributed bet
ween Reidatasseiar and Alabr constructing houses. As far as is known
both of these places are well within Hadhramaut (please refer to Reilly’s tele
gram of the 19th March). If these reports true Philby’s assurance to me
contained in telegram that his journey had no official character appears to
be inaccurate. I sent telegram to Philby yesterday on lines of your un
numbered telegram of 1st September.
Enclosure 9 to S. No. (1).
Letter from the Acting Resident, Aden, to the Secretary of State
for the Colonies, No. 492, dated 30th September 1936.
I have the honour to refer you to the correspondence ending with my
Secret despatch No. 432 of 9th September, 1936 in connection with the re
cent activities of Mr. Philby in the Aden Protectorate.
2. I returned yesterday from a visit by air to Mukalla and the
Hadhramaut valley.
3. In the course of my visit I was able to make enquiries on the spot as to
the extent of Mr. Philby’s Sa’udi propaganda though enquiries were scarcely
necessary as both the Qu’aiti authorities at Mukalla and Shibam, and the
Kathiri Sultan and influential Seiyid family of A1 Kaf in the Eastern part of
the Hadhramaut valley were only too ready to open the subject without en
couragement and to talk about what they considered as Mr. Philby’s unwar
rantable interference.