Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎245v] (491/802)

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214. The general financial situation is far from reassuring. Government
employees, who for a number of months past have been receiving their salaries
in the form of one-third cash, one-third in kind (flour, rice, sugar, &c.), and
one-third carried forward to their credit, have, according to fairly
reliable reports, been latterly receiving nothing at all. The Treasury is said to
have adopted the simple expedient of making no disbursements whatsoeveijg
except to a favoured few. Government debts are ignored. Saudi currency haP
weakened. Large sums have been absorbed by military preparations against
the Yemen, and the £35,000 gold received as an oil loan (see paragraph 169) has
probably been utilised for the purpose. Altogether the picture is not a pleasant
one and the bright spots are far to seek. Of these it may be mentioned that the
first pilgrim ship of the season left Sourabaya on the 28th October—but next
year’s pilgrimage, by all accounts, will be as disappointing as this year’s.
215. Government Departments and officials were returning from Taif to
Mecca during the second half of October. Amir Feisal and the Ministry for
Foreign Affairs are expected to last the month out and return early in November.
The Legislative Assembly adjourned at Taif on the 24th and reassembles ten days
later in Mecca.
216. (Reference paragraph 141.) Whilst it is still doubtful whether the
increased tonnage dues on shipping, which were introduced in July, are going to
be enforced, certain new taxes on local craft have been announced, during the
month, and are to take effect as from the 24th June last. These are :—
Piastres miri
per month.
Motor-launch ... ... ... ... 15
Sanbuq ... ... ... ... 15
Boat ... ... ... ... ... 5
(Where 110 piastres miri = £1 gold.)
The annual tax on a motor-launch, therefore, amounts to about £2 10.9., but, in
view of the fact that the amount per annum is not excessive and compares not
unfavourably with similar taxes in various ports of neighbouring countries, local
representatives of foreign shipping concerns have accepted the new tax
philosophically.
217. The situation in Asir (reference paragraph 195) continues to
monopolise public attention here. Further concentration of Saudi troops has
taken place during the month, until, according to Sheikh Abdullah Suleiman,
scarcely a soldier remains in Nejd, and he confidently expected that Saudi
military dispositions would be complete by the end of October. Amir Feisal-bin-
Saad was still Commander-in-chief, with his headquarters at Abha, where he is
in constant wireless communication with the King, being accompanied wherever
he goes by a mobile wireless set. Saudi resources in respect of communications
were further augmented by the arrival on the 29th of two large motor-launches,
which had come under their own power from Bahrein, where they had been
recently acquired by Ibn Sand. They were immediately got ready for use and,
to anticipate next month’s report, left on the 1st November for Jizan with about
500 troops on board. At the end of the month the Saudi force had generally
advanced, in Asir, to positions somewhat nearer the frontier, in order to be
readily available should its defence become suddenly necessary. The situation in
Asir will be further dealt with (see paragraph 219 below) in connexion with
relations between the Saudi Government and the Yemen.
218. (Reference paragraph 197.) Abul Walid Khalid-el-Qarqani, Sheikh
Hamad Suleiman and Turki-bin-Mahdi, the three members of the recent Saudi
delegation to Sana, who were for a short period forcibly detained there by the
Imam Yahya, left Mecca for Riyadh on the 14th October.
II .—Frontier Questions and Foreign Relations in Arabia.
219. The tension between Ibn Saud and the Imam Yahya {ride para
graph 196) shows no signs of relaxing. For the first three weeks of October,
although military preparations went on unabated, the fact that hostilities did
not break out as time went by encouraged the hope that neither side would be
rash enough to take the first hostile step and that the situation would remain