Skip to item: of 64
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

'Historical Memorandum on the Relations of the Wahabi Amirs and Ibn Saud with Eastern Arabia and the British Government, 1800-1934' [‎20r] (39/64)

The record is made up of 1 file (32 folios). It was created in 26 Sep 1934. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

35
standing with the Amir, who has hitherto been friendly disposed to us, the
probability is that we shall force him to adopt an attitude of permanent
hostility, which cannot but react unfavourably on the Chiefs of the littoral.
We therefore strongly advocate not any definite treaty with the Amir, but
a friendly interchange of views in which we should intimate to him that
we expect him not to interfere with the territories of Chiefs with whom
we have treaty or other relations on the Gulf littoral. We see no reason
why if this were done with the full knowledge of the Porte, to whom our
intentions could be clearly explained, there should be any risk of offending
Turkish susceptibilities or raising their suspicions. We might warn the
Trucial Chiefs seriously against any provocative action against the Amir,
but instead of assuring them of immunity from him, which is only likely
to encourage them to assume a truculent attitude towards him, we might
tell them that our relations with the Amir are such that their fears of
aggression on his part are groundless.”
Views of H.M. Government, August 1913.
170. H.M. Government on consideration agreed generally with the Govern
ment of India, and on the suggestion of the Secretary of State for India, Hakki
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. was also informally told that H.M. Government owing to the death of the
Sheikh of Qatar and subsequent events must in order to carry out their obligations
make Ibn Sand either their friend or their enemy; that they could not afford to
make him their enemy; and that they therefore proposed to enter into a friendly
exchange of views with him in order to regularise the position—a communication
which the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. received in a friendly spirit and promised to communicate to
his Government.
171. In September 1913 Ibn Saud, in reply to the Resident’s letter of 9th July
(paragraph 163 above), asked for a clearer explanation of the British attitude.
Sir Percy Cox intimated on 11 th September 1913 that it was somewhat difficult
to give the explanations desired without fuller information as to Ibn Sand’s
wishes. He suggested a meeting, and added :—
c ‘ Meanwhile, I have my Government’s authority to assure you that, pro
vided you undertake on your part to abstain from all action calculated to
disturb the status quo, or to create unrest, among the Arab Principalities
whose rulers are in relation with the British Government, including the
Principality of Katr, the independence of which under the Government of
the late Sheikh Jasim and his successors of the Bin Thani family has been
recently recognised by the British and Turkish Governments, the British
Government will continue to maintain the friendly relations which have been
sustained in the past.”
Attitude of Turkey: October-Becember 1913.
172. On 2nd October the Foreign Office intimated that a reply had been
received from Hakki Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. to the communication referred to in paragraph 170
above, in which the Porte expressed their thanks for the friendly offer of H.M.
Government stated that they were actually in negotiation with Ibn Saud, and
added that if the necessity should arise for recourse to the good offices of H.M.
Government the Porte would not fail to avail itself of them.
173. On 15th December the Ambassador at Constantinople reported that the
Turkish Government had intimated that they proposed to recognise the recent fait
accompli in Nejd by nominating Ibn Saud A1 Mutasarif of the district.
Discussion between Acting 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. , Captain Shakespear, and
Ibn Saud: l§th December 1913.
174. Endeavours were made to arrange a meeting between the Political
Resident and Ibn Saud towards the end of 1913, and on 16th December Major
Trevor and Captain Shakespear met Ibn Saud and had an exhaustive discussion
with him. The following points are taken from a memorandum of the interview
which was read over to Ibn Saud and in the terms of which he concurred :—
“His family, he said, had been in Nejd from time immemorial and had
for generations ruled over it without interference from outside. He himself
3076 K
I.O. to F.O.,
13.8.13.
F.O. to I.O.,
16.8.13.
37510/13.
S. of S. to
Vic..
21.8.13.
Vic. to S. of
S., 5.9.13,
P. 3666/13
Bre. to G. of
I., 2796,
14.9.13,
P. 4184/13.
F.O. to I.O.,
39902/13,
P. 4062/13.
Const, to
F.O., 977,
1.12.13,
P. 5002/13.

About this item

Content

The file contains a historical memorandum written in response to claims advanced by Ibn Saud to ancestral rights on the eastern boundary of the Saudi Kingdom, and to suggestions put forward by him that at some period in the past arrangements were entered into with his ancestors, the Wahabi Amirs, by representatives of the British Government, which afforded some recognition of those claims. The memorandum was written by John Gilbert Laithwaite, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , and is a revised edition of a document published on 1 September 1934.

Extent and format
1 file (32 folios)
Arrangement

The file contains a table of content at the front (f 2), and is then divided into six sections (ff 3-27), followed by four appendices at the end (ff 28-31), of which one is a map (f 30).

Physical characteristics

Foliation - the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 32; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located at the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

'Historical Memorandum on the Relations of the Wahabi Amirs and Ibn Saud with Eastern Arabia and the British Government, 1800-1934' [‎20r] (39/64), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B437, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100028817534.0x000028> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100028817534.0x000028">'Historical Memorandum on the Relations of the Wahabi Amirs and Ibn Saud with Eastern Arabia and the British Government, 1800-1934' [&lrm;20r] (39/64)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100028817534.0x000028">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x00004c/IOR_L_PS_18_B437_0039.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x00004c/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image