Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎15r] (30/802)

3
degree that the commander of the Arab Legion took up his
Mudawwara, and aeroplanes were moved from Amman to - T J d
force having occupied Masheetiyah, it withdrew on the appioach ot the
detachment n ^ 15th 0ctober however, the Umm-ul-Qura wuntlly <lemed these
rumours of mobilisation on 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 saying that y
absolutely without foundation; and as for the Amir Abdul Aziz-bin-Musaid, ne
had been' at Riyadh all the time and was still there. , , , , v ; s ; t ed
39-2. Haji Abdul Majid, the Malay pilgrimage officer who had lately vts t
Mecca, reported on the 13th October that when the mema supporting tl^
protests of their brethren in Egypt proposed a jehad Jf e K I'f,’ t if g th e
manv local hot-heads in Medina, laif and Mecca volunteeied tc g ,
King would pay their expenses. The King, however, said uoU ’^ tor ‘ n ° 1
or two, and on the approach of the pilgrimage people began to foiget all a .
Palestine. of .umours about trouble between the Arab
tribes and Ibn Sand. Oiiestopv sivs that a number of tribesmen objected to
paying the poll-tax, on which Thn Sand beheaded thirty of them.
II Frontier Questions and Foreign Relations in A rabia.
394. 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 authorities in their report fot September
call attention to the activity and aggressive attitude ot the -audi f 1 l an(lec j
Many reports have also been received that a consignment ot a '
recently at or near Aqaba. The senior Saudi officer on the tiontier wne
approached on this subject, denied in writing that any fwav ,,f
landed for Palestine, a statement which was thought to be a clevei ■ J 1
^^^^ina the fact that arms were imported, but tor the Saudi liontiei poi .
However^Mr. Ousman, who was at Riyadh for nearly three months ending in
Seutember heard nothing of these arms and saw nothing unusual in the cap . ■
Not has any tangible evidence of the importation of these arms ever been secuied
by this Legatiom ft may be that certain arms issued, in accordance with past
practice at Riyadh for the northern police posts gave rise to the rumoui. Theie
is no doubt that a certain activity has been displayed; roads corresponding to
those built on the other side of the frontier have been constructed and the post
ryf Tntnn which is acknowledged to be on the Saudi side of the nontiei, nas nee
occupied bv a Saudi post for the first time. It is doubtful whether these activities
showanvtbiiig more than a sudden efficiency-drive by the zealous local commandeic
395 The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrein reported on the 14th Octobei that the
California Standard Oil Company had established a party at Qasr-as-balwa and
appealed to be working to the east of that position; they were building houses
and 396 H^'waHace 6 'a 'dTrector'of the Californian Texas Oil Company,
arrived with Mr. Lenahan of the California Arabian Standard Oil Company
on the 26th October and is to pay a visit to the King he is even p^arrM to
wait three weeks here to do so. He says that the visit is of a pui ely toi mal natuie
Tnd that 17^ connected with the fact that his company have acquired a half
interest in the California Arabian Standard Oil Company (Limited) in exchange
fnr o half interest in certain markets in the East Indies.
397. The Petroleum Development (Western Arabia) Limited proposes to
undertake core-drilling in the Farsan Islands this autumn n eng is g o ;
named Glynn-Jones, will he in charge. He arrived in Aden eai ly in Uc
and 1 thence proposed to proceed to Kamaran and Jizan (where he wmild report to
the Saudi authorities), and finally by launch to the Farsan Islands. Three drillers
are to be sent to him. A Saudi Government inspector and a customs official will
accompany-the drUhng^parLm doctor name d Saoud Quadir, has been engaged
by the Petroleum Concessions (Western Arabia) agents, Messrs. Besse and Co.,
for work with the surveying party. Dr. Quadir subsequently decided not to
come- the company could only find a non-Moslem doctor; the haudi Arabian
Government then laid down the principle that only Moslem doctors would do; so
it looks as if the prospectors will have to manage without medical attention.
[155 ff—1] B * 2