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appear." The Hejazi Government announced that in May 1930 the King had
sent a commission to study and report on the administration of Asir in
consultation with the Idrisi and his council. After the first commission had
reported a second was sent in the autumn. The upshot of the consultations is
described in two Green Books—for Mecca now produces Green Books after the
approved fashion. Encouraged by his suzerain, the Idrisi had telegraphed on thsiw
9th October inviting Ibn Saud to take charge of the administration and finance ol
Asir. Ibn Saud replied, in terms the most pious, accepting the burden. The
Idrisi and his council sent a delegation to Mecca with letters describing, with
more embroidery but without more precision, the decision which had been taken
on the 9th October in consultation with Ibn Sand’s commissioners and which had
been telegraphed to Mecca the same day.
38. Ibn Saud lost no time in tackling his task. In a decree issued on the
20th November he approved and supplemented a joint report submitted by his
own officials and the delegates from Asir. The Viceroy of the Hejaz was charged
with the execution of this decree. The effect of it, combined with the report,
was to establish organic rules for the administration of Asir, which may be
summarised as follows :—
(1) The Idrisi to remain as head of the Government and all orders to be
issued in his name on behalf of the King.
(2) The King to appoint an Amir to administer the country, supervise
improvements, ensure peace and give effect to Sharia law, in
accordance with the principle laid down at (1).
(3) The Amir to be assisted by a council, consisting of five natives of Asir,
all honourable men, to be chosen from among village-dwellers by the
tribal chiefs in conjunction with the authorities.
(4) The council to be presided over by a representative of the Amir, and its
decisions to be approved by the Idrisi as a condition of validity.
(5) The council to occupy itself with all matters pertaining to the well-being
of the country, both moral and material, subject to its causing no
confusion affecting the interests of neighbouring countries and to its
having no concern with foreign affairs or having any right to object
to action taken by the Amir to enforce Hejaz-Nejd regulations in
Bedouin affairs.
(6) The King to appoint a Director of Finance to see to the collection of
revenue and to expenditure in accordance with an approved budget.
(7) All civil and military officers, however appointed, to pay due regard to
the position of the Idrisi and to uphold the prestige and honour of
him and his family.
(8) The council to have the right of appealing to the King or the Viceroy of
the Hejaz against any irregularity committed by the Amir or the
Director of Finance, subject to the appeal being signed by the Idrisi
and to the criticism being true and founded on actual facts.
39. The Hejazi Green Books on Asir were officially communicated to His
Majesty’s Legation at Jedda, which, more by accident than by design, did not
acknowledge receipt of them. His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom
had not decided up to the end of the year what, if any, attitude they would
take up. It may be noted that in 1917 they themselves concluded a treaty with
Asir, which superseded an earlier treaty of 1915. By the 1917 treaty His
Majesty’s Government undertook to protect the independence and territories of
the Idrisi against foreign intervention, an engagement which they subsequently
declared not to apply in the event of aggression by an Arabian ruler. The Idrisi
agreed on his side not to part with the Farsan Islands or places on his seaboard
to any foreign Power. This treaty was made with reference to the circumstances
of the Great War. The effect on it of the termination of the war, the further
effect of the subsequent arrangements between the Idrisi and Ibn Saud and the
position in regard to a previous concession granted to British subjects in the
Farsan Islands are all matters of doubt. So far as the two most interested
European Powers are concerned, Great Britain gave an undertaking to Italy
during the Rome conversations of 1927 not to volunteer recognition of the Treaty
of Mecca between the Idrisi and Ibn Saud, to postpone such recognition as long as