Coll 6/19 'Arabia: (Saudi Arabia) Hejaz-Nejd Annual Report.' [‎152v] (305/540)

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V. —Military and naval organisation ... 145
VI. —Aviation and connected matters—
Air force ... ... ... ... 148
VII. —Legislation... ... ... ... 153
VIII. —Press ... ... ... ... 158
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IX. —Education ... ... ... ... 160
X. —The pilgrimage ... ... ... 163
XI. —Slavery and the slave trade ... 167
XII. —Naval matters ... ... :.. 171
XIII. —Miscellaneous matters of British
interest ... ... ... ... ... 177
I.—Introduction.
THE history of Saudi Arabia continues to be the story of Ibn Saud and his
efforts to construct a durable Empire out of a mass of heterogeneous elements,
some of which are so imperfectly known to Europeans, that we are apt to see
only the bright particular star and disregard too much the firmament which is
his setting. Some attempt has been made in the introductions to previous reports
to show the relationship between the two. All that need be said on the present
occasion is that there was no capital change in either the man or the setting
during 1933.
2. At the beginning of the year Ibn Saud appeared to have consolidated his
position by his success in repressing two internal revolts and sterilising, at least
for the time being, the efforts of the enemies outside his gates. It would be hard
to say whether he had gained or lost ground by the end of it, but he retained that
pre-eminence which he has established in the Arab world by his personality and
achievements. The death of King Feisal of Iraq had removed the only single
figure which could be compared with him in importance and ambition combined.
3. The strengthening of Ibn Baud’s position in 1932 was unaccompanied
by any improvement in the financial condition of his country. How far the King
himself is affected by the penury of the Treasury is, however, a constant mystery.
There can be no doubt that a large proportion of the revenues of the Hejaz is
remitted to Riyadh, but the Royal disbursements are also heavy. Many believe
that His Majesty has had a sufficient balance to build up a large reserve. At any
rate, his progress in modernity has led him to make one charming discovery, how
sharp a line can be drawn between the privy purse of a ruler and the Treasury
of a State. Whether Ibn Saud be rich or poor ? the Treasury of Saudi Arabia
has gone more and more bankrupt.
4. Nevertheless, the early months of the year were marked by an unfamiliar
optimism. It looked, to put it coarsely, as though there were enough mugs in
the world interested in Saudi Arabia to save her from her improvident and
unfortunate self. Concessions were granted for a State Bank, a railway between
Mecca and Jedda and the development of the unknown oil resources of Hasa.
These projects had one thing in common, namely, that each was to bring a
substantial sum of ready money. They were, therefore, the fairest-seeming of
several flowers that bloomed in the spring. But there was only one sample of
golden fruit in the autumn, when the Standard Oil Company of California
delivered £35,000 gold, the first payment due in respect of the Hasa Oil
Concession. The other schemes languished or died, and the overseas pilgrimage
had been the smallest since 1925.
5. During this early part of the year Ibn Saud appeared to be striving, in
spite of all adverse circumstances, to ensure the future of his regime and dynasty.
He was all things to all men; a pillar of the faith, though a little firmer perhaps
with his religious extremists, whose extravagant Wahhabism is inconsistent with
progress or with permanent popularity in the Moslem world; not unwilling to
allow modernists to play about with constitutional forms, so long as they did
not impair his absolute authority; anxious to placate hostile feeling among his
tribes, though possibly less prepared than he had been in the autumn of 1932 to
buy their devotion by largesse; and willing to the point of eagerness to compose
differences with neighbouring States. The most significant internal event was
the proclamation in May of His Majesty’s eldest surviving son, the Amir Saud,
as heir apparent, a measure surrounded by every circumstance that could make
the King’s choice appear to be that of a unanimous people and every precaution