Coll 6/19 'Arabia: (Saudi Arabia) Hejaz-Nejd Annual Report.' [‎182r] (364/540)

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articles had paid warm tributes to the Imam, another of those perfectly sound
Arabs whom Ibn Saud loves.
39. While the revolt in Asir was coming to a head, Ibn Saud decided to
send an envoy direct from Riyadh to Sana. The person chosen was a secretary
or clerk in his Divan, one Muhammad-bin-Dhawi, apparently a man of no great
Recount. He seems to have reached Sana some time in November or early in
December and was still there at the end of the year. In describing his mission
to Sir Andrew Ryan early in January, Fuad Bey Hamza mentioned frontier
delimitation as one of the questions requiring friendly discussion. Although
Fuad Bey seemed to know little about the business, which is one of the King’s own
subjects, it is more than likely that the frontier is pretty ill-defined. It is not
described or even adverted to in the published treaty. All that is known of it
is that it would appear to abut on the sea at the mouth of the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Tashar
about 15 miles north of Midi and to run inland in a general north-easterly
direction, leaving Jebel Arwa and Saada admittedly inside Yemen territory
though close to the boundary.
40. The question of the lie of the frontier was of special interest at the end
of 1932 as the Asir rebels appeared to be still in some force in the highlands
near the border, and their presence in doubtful territory might easily increase the
possibility of complications between Ibn Saud and the Imam. The Idrisi himself
was said to have taken refuge in the Jebel Faifa, which is probably in Asir but
has nevertheless been described by an informant worthy of attention as belonging
to the Yemen and as being inhabited by Zeydi co-religionists of the Imam in real
or ostensible revolt against him.
States in the South and South-East of Arabia.
41. Nothing that came to the notice of the legation in 1932 suggests any
modification of the view expressed in paragraph 41 of the report for 1931 that
Ibn Saud seems to respect the undertaking implied in article 6 of the Treaty
of Jedda not to interfere in Qatar and the Oman coast. It has been suggested
in Jedda that he dabbles in the politics of the Hadramaut, but the suggestion
lacks substance.
42. There was no serious trouble during the year in connexion with
Hadhramis in the Hejaz. His Majesty’s Minister feared at one moment that
he might have to intervene eventually on behalf of a Hadhrami notable, who
was among the persons arrested in June (see paragraph 104), and deported to
Riyadh. The man’s own relatives expressed a wish that the Legation should not
intervene, and he was eventually allowed to return. At the time of the urban
census (paragraph 176) it looked as though many of the Hadhramis themselves
were unwilling to describe themselves as British protected and preferred to
call themselves subjects of the Qaiti Sultan. Later in the year those in Mecca
seemed likely to be the first victims of pressure on foreigners in Mecca to produce
proofs of nationality within fifteen days, failing which it was expected that they
would be required either to leave the country or to accept Saudi nationality. This
plan was not pursued up to the end of the year, owing largely, it may be supposed,
to the action taken by Mr. Hope Gill (see paragraph 176).
Bahrein and Koweit.
43. Ibn Saud’s visit to Hasa in January enabled the 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. in
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. to pay him the visit which had long been contemplated.
Colonel Biscoe took with him to Hufuf the Political Agents at Koweit and
Bahrein, Colonel Dickson and Captain Prior. They arrived at Hufuf on the
23rd January and stayed four days. The King, haying agreed to sink his
former resentment against Colonel Biscoe and having intimated that he would
be willing to discuss matters of common interest, kept his word in both respects
right royally. The courtesy and hospitality shown to the party left nothing to
be desired. At parting the King charged Colonel Biscoe with a cordial message
of friendship to the British Government which unfortunately reached London
at a moment of tension between the two Governments, but was informally
acknowledged through Sir Andrew Ryan after that tension had been relieved.
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. 's Visit to Ibn Saud.
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