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before returning it to the original owners. There were allegations of asylum
being given to criminals in Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan and of tribesmen being enticed across
the frontier. At one moment the Mecca newspaper “ Umm-al-Qura ” took to
publishing attacks on the Amir Abdullah, which were known to have been
written by Ibn Baud’s factotum, Sheikh Yussuf Yasin. The authorities in
Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan took exception to the taxation of their tribesmen sojourning in the
Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Sirhan for grazing. They were not supported by His Majesty’s Govern
ment in the view that the principle of such taxation was barred by articles 4
and 7 of the Hadda Agreement, but the arbitrary manner in which it was levied
continued to give rise to complaint. The Hejazis, on their side, adduced one
instance of Nejdi tribesmen having been taxed on visiting a Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan well
for watering only, a grievance which still awaited investigation at the end of
the year. Captain Glubb drew attention more than once to the tendency of the
Hejazi Government to multiply posts in a spirit of competition and to equip them
more elaborately than the corresponding Transjordanian posts, although the
value of the equipment was happily diminished by shortage of benzine to move
the motor transport. There were frequent rumours of concentrations in the
interior of Hejaz-Nejd, not 'far from the frontier, whether to menace
Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan or to overawe Ibn Baud’s own tribesmen. Complaints by the
Hejazi Government regarding the action of Captain Glubb in specific cases led,
inter alia, to the consideration of a procedure which came to be known as
“retaliatory confiscation,” i.e., the retention of looted camels due for return to
the original owners, as a means of pressure to obtain the settlement of other
cases. In this connexion one particular camel belonging to the Howeitat
chieftain Ibn Jazi, already famous in the desert for its swiftness, secured a
permanent niche in history; but His Majesty’s Government disallowed
“ retaliatory confiscation,” even with the object of obtaining the return to its
robbed owner of so notable an animal. The raid of the 28th September on the
Atun (see paragraph 32) gave rise to a crop of questions as to the nationality of
that section of the Howeitat, the position in regard to Araif, i.e., camels held
by one tribe and claimed by another as being returnable loot captured in past
raids. Finally, there was in the latter part of the year a very important and
complicated question, ventilated in British circles only, and not by the Hejazi
Government, as to the lie of the frontier, more especially that between
Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan and the Hejaz, where it was thought that, owing to an error in the
maps used, an area in which the Royal Air Force are established might be south
of the de facto boundary resulting from the agreements made by Sir G. Clayton
in 1927. It is the less necessary to do more than enumerate these matters as most
of them were outstanding at the end of the year.
24. An attempt has been made in the foregoing paragraphs to digest in an
intelligible form the voluminous correspondence which passed in 1931. It may
be added by way of general comment that, while raiding has been reduced for
the time being to almost negligible proportions, the political problem of the
Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan frontier is almost impossible of solution on any present basis. If
Ibn Baud were in a position to delegate authority to his local representatives and
were willing to treat the matter as one of frontier police, it would be compara
tively easy to control the situation. As it is, every local incident provides the
material for diplomatic wrangling. The frontier is purely artificial, one of the
worst in the world for practical purposes. Nomad tribes, even if normally
located on one side or the other, constantly cross it for purposes of grazing. Any
attempt to apply to them ordinary European criteria of nationality or jurisdic
tion is futile, the British authorities in Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan do their best to maintain
order, but nothing short of a redefinition of the frontier, preferably so as to give
the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Sirhan to Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan , would produce the necessary conditions for its
establishment on a stable basis. Worst of all, both Ibn Baud and the Amir
Abdullah are more concerned with future contingencies than with present peace.
The Amir would like to rule not merely the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Sirhan, but the whole of the
Hejaz. Ibn Baud would probably like to include Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan in his dominions,
even though in his present state of weakness he may play with the idea of placing
his relations with the Amir on a treaty basis. For each of them the principal
tribes on the frontier, like the Howeitat and the Beni Atiya, are pawns in a high
political game. The Howeitat are in the main Transjordanian; Ibn Baud would
like to seduce or compel them to his own allegiance. The Beni Atiya, trouble