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Coll 7/44 'Arabia: supply of arms and ammunition to Saudi Arabia from United Kingdom' [‎14r] (27/281)

The record is made up of 1 file (139 folios). It was created in 17 Apr 1939-12 May 1941. 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

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0
‘ ..
They had no desire except for the interests of the Arabs,'
and their independence* So at this time they would! n °to x o
insist on Your Majesty taking up any point of view which
you did not consider appropriate for you, or in which you
considered there might be some disadvantage to your
country or your people* Therefore the Minister for Foreign
Affairs had ordered him to accept all the explanations
which I had given him, to proceed to execute all the
transaction, which there was no need to suspend or delay.
In accordance with those instructions he had come to
bsing me this good news and to present to me a letter
of which I submit herewith a translation to Your
Ma jesty*
On the following day they sent to me the director of
the company with which the transaction was to be concluded
and he handed to me a proposal of an agreement which
had been signed temporarily : so I signed it too, but
it does not come into force until Your Majesty
announces your approval.
(Signed) Khalid Abu’l Walid.
Berlin
Rajab 3rd 1358
(August 18th 1939)

About this item

Content

The file opens with correspondence regarding enquiries by the Saudi Government into the purchase of cartridge-manufacturing equipment from the firm Greenwood and Batley Limited, and arms and ammunition from the War Office. The principal correspondents are the Foreign Office, the FO Export Credits Guarantee Deparment, the War Office, the Consul-General at Jedda, and Greenwood and Batley Limited. The correspondence discusses the possibility of providing support to Saudi Arabia under the Export Credits Guarantee Act, the quantities of plant and raw material to supply to Saudi Arabia, and repayment schemes.

It includes the following items:

  • Memorandum by the Saudi Arabian Legation in London, titled 'Conditions required in connection with cartridge factory An East India Company trading post. ', ff 114-116.
  • Quotation from Greenwood and Batley Limited, with details of their offer, ff 117-130.
  • Copy correspondence between the importer Francis Kettaneh, and Najib Effendi Salha, Saudi representative, ff 132-136.

The second half of the file concerns Saudi-German relations, and an offer by the German Government to supply arms and ammunition to the Saudi Government in return for a promise of neutrality in the event of war between Germany and Britain. The correspondence is principally between the Foreign Office, the Saudi Legation to London, and the 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. Political Department, and discusses the options available to Ibn Sa'ūd, the preferences of the British, and British concerns over German policy in the Gulf and the Middle East. A detailed memorandum issued by the Foreign Office, which describes the options available, is found at folios 60-74.

The file also includes documents received from Khalid abul Walid Al-Hud, a Saudi Government representative who undertook a mission to Berlin to negotiate the arms deal. These papers include:

  • A report by Khalid to Ibn Sa'ūd regarding his interview with the Head of the Eastern Department, German Foreign Ministry, on 3 Rajab 1358 [18 August 1939], ff 12-14.
  • A letter from the German Foreign Minister to Khalid regarding the deal (English translation from Arabic, which had been translated from French), f 15.
  • A letter from Khalid to the German Government, accepting the offer in principle, f 16.
  • A draft contract between the Saudi Government and Ferrostaal Aktiengesellschaft, Essen, ff 17-20.

The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folio 2).

Extent and format
1 file (139 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 140; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 96-136; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 7/44 'Arabia: supply of arms and ammunition to Saudi Arabia from United Kingdom' [‎14r] (27/281), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2214, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036004238.0x00001c> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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