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226. Among the notable persons who made the pilgrimage in 1937 the more
important were their Highnesses the Khan and Begum Courteous or formal title for (usually Muslim) women of elite status, especially of Turko-Mongol lineage. of Kalat, his Highness
the Emir of Kano, Seyyid Amin-el-Husseini (the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem) and
three of the sons of His Majesty the King of the Yemen.
227. Transport arrangements showed some improvement in the shape of
mere and slightly better vehicles, but the roads remained in a very bad state.
228. The cost of the pilgrimage remained at about the same level as in 1936,
the 25 per cent, decrease in the transport charges being offset by the employment
of a more expensive type of vehicle and by increases in certain other items.
Estates of deceased pilgrims are in future to contribute 50 piastres towards the
expenses of burial.
229. Certain difficulties which were encountered by the Legation in dealing
with pilgrims are mentioned in paragraph 124.
XI. —Slavery.
230. The British right to manumit slaves who might take refuge in the
Legation having been renounced in October 1936, the Legation has had little to
do with the question of slaves during 1937 except to keep a watch for any signs
of activity on the part of the Saudi Arabian Government in applying the Slavery
(£ Instructions ” which they promulgated on the 2nd October, 1936.
231. In May a notice was published in the press reminding slave owners
that they were required by the “ Instructions ” to register their slaves within a
year, and that any slave not so registered might “ present himself before the
competent authority and .... demand to be given a certificate of freedom.”
232. At the end of this year’s grace, in October 1937, such enquiries as the
Legation had been able to make showed that while a number of slaves might have
been registered, the majority had not. In fact, it would hardly be unjust to
consider the regulations a dead letter.
XII.— Naval Matters.
233. The following visits were paid to Jedda by the escort vessels of His
Majesty s navy during the year :—
H.M.S. Londonderry: February 19-25; July 15-20; November 7-12.
H.M.S. Weston: April 20-22.
flotilla leader Pantera visited Jedda from the 21st October
1 rpi 26th October. This was the first visit of an Italian warship since July
fuoo.L r French sloo P D Iberville visited Jedda from the 26th January until
the 28th January. J
23o. In September Captain W. K. D. Dowding, D.S.C., succeeded Captain
. B. Jacomb, as senior naval officer, Bed Sea, in H.M.S. Londonderry.
i , 236 - Xi slt f. Jed f a continued to be made by His Majesty’s escort vessels
by b ar e notification to the Saudi Arabian Government without any request for
permission. No other Saudi ports were visited. 4
237 Captain Dowding during the November visit of H.M.S Londonderry
discussed the question of lights and buoys in Jedda harbour informally with the
Legation. There are at present no lights and few buoys. It was agreed that the
SvndffiflWK b V“ gat ? d ’ SinCe {t W , aS known that the Saudi Arabian Mining
newlv hin 1 fn Pr A Tt IT & S 5 “ te ( I , ested ln connexion with the approach to their
newly-built pier At the end of the year, too, the Banque Misr Wan to show
some signs of interest in the improvement of Jedda Harbour, and it if understood
.t innttiSS S, ”«f ‘ l “ Ch “ l '° r ”“' 1