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File 2182/1913 Pt 7 'Arabia: Policy toward Ibn Saud' [‎180r] (361/420)

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The record is made up of 1 item (206 folios). It was created in 4 Jan 1918-7 Aug 1918. 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. .

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IP 181J
From Viceroy, Foreign Department, 5th January 1918.
(Repeated to Cairo and Bagdad.)
"(Received at 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. , 9 p.m., 6 th.)
Reference telegrams from Cairo, Nos. 14013 and 1407 of 28th December,
and from Cox, 6283, of 24th December. Ibn Rashid is at present in no
position to do us much harm, and affords an occupation to Ibn Saud, while
his total elimination from Arab politics might be an embarrassment to us.
His retention will assist in the maintenance of balance of power between
Ibn Saud and Sherif. We therefore recommend that Cox should keep Ibn
Sand in play by presents of money, but that assistance in arms and
instructors should not be given except very sparingly. Otherwise we seem
to risk establishment of two powers in Arabia mutually hostile, but to both
of whom we have given pledges of (corrupt giaoup).
We realise fully our obligations to Ibn Saud and have no wish to play
unfairly by him. But we wish to avoid possibility of our geneiosity putting
him in a position,to upset equilibrium of Arabia.
From Secretary of State to Viceroy, Foreign Department,
\Uli ■January 1918.
(Repeated to Sir V. Cox.)
Pore hoi Secret. Your telegram of 5th January. Bin Sand. His
Majpsl v’”(loverimient agree that it is not necessary or desirable to give "i
Stub military assistance on scale proposed, and that 14 " ‘R;' o
to dole out money to him in such quanhttes as < ox '“’V
keer> him in play pending development of military situation. I lease instruct
HA achrdingh- lie will recognise need for discretion u, carrying ont
instructions. Most undesirable that Arabs shoud suspect us of being lake-
warm in support of Bin Sand against Bin Rashid.

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Part 7 primarily concerns relations between Bin Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] and King Hussein of Hedjaz [Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī, King of Hejaz].

It includes discussion as to whether Britain should provide Bin Saud with military assistance to enable him to take decisive action against Bin Rashid (also referred to as Ibn Rashid) [Saʿūd bin ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Rashīd, Emir of Ha'il]. The policy advocated by the Government of India is that Bin Saud should be 'kept in play' by gifts of money but that arms and military instructors should be supplied sparingly. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Zachariah Cox and Harry St John Bridger Philby, on the other hand, favour an offensive against Hail [Ha'il] by Bin Saud, with British assistance. Also included are the following:

  • a memorandum from the War Cabinet's Middle East Committee, on the position of Bin Rashid in relation to other Arab rulers;
  • a note entitled 'Relations With Ibn Sa'ud', prepared by the Arab Bureau's Irak [Iraq] section, which provides a British perspective on Britain's relations with Bin Saud from 1899 onwards;
  • notes on conversations held between Colonel Cyril Edward Wilson and Major Kinahan Cornwallis of the Arab Bureau, and Emir Abdulla [ʿAbdullāh bin al-Ḥusayn], son of King Hussein, during December 1917;
  • a copy of a report by David George Hogarth on his interviews with King Hussein at Jeddah;
  • a memorandum from the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Kuwait, Colonel Robert Edward Archibald Hamilton, which is primarily concerned with relations between Kuwait and Riyadh;
  • notes by Hamilton on Bin Saud, based on conversations with the latter at Riyadh in November 1917;
  • correspondence between British officials regarding King Hussein's attempt to reoccupy Khurma and its impact on his relations with Bin Saud.

This item features the following principal correspondents:

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File 2182/1913 Pt 7 'Arabia: Policy toward Ibn Saud' [‎180r] (361/420), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/389/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100032845622.0x0000ab> [accessed 10 May 2024]

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