Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎363v] (727/802)

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21. This meeting, however, was only a preliminary one, designed to establish
contact between the two frontier representatives. Their main meetings for the
settlement of all matters connected with raids since the 1st August, 1930, were to
follow. Meanwhile, on the 1st August, the Hejazi Under-Secretary offered to
come to Jedda to discuss the preliminary meeting, but His Majesty's Charge
d Affaires replied that he thought that they could not advance matters b^|
discussing what was merely an exchange of views at the preliminary meeting j
and as the terms of reference of the main meeting had already been settled after
full discussion (see May-June report, paragraphs 26-27), he considered that it
should be left to the two frontier representatives to carry on. Although not
strictly within the scope of this report, it is convenient to mention here that
hoad Bey, in a series of conversations held at Jedda on the 1st to the 3rd
September, made another and more determined attempt to start a discussion of
additional principles, by which the Glubb-Ibn Zeyd meetings for the settlement
of past raids should, in his view, be controlled. He was ridden off.
22. The Legation has been somewhat hampered by lack of concise and
up-to-date information from 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 about the passage of events which
interest it closely. News of the preliminary meeting having taken place on the
3rd June was first received through the Hejazi Government. Information as to
its outcome was not received from 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 until nearly two months later.
The first main meeting was held on the 15th August, but the Legation was only
apprised of the fact on the 1st September, and through Hejazi channels.
Information from 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 came to hand on the 15th September, in the form
of a report by Captain Glubb, dated the 19th August.
(b) Meeting of August 15.
23. There were apparently two items on the agenda of the main meeting of
the 15th August: (1) The return of loot taken since the 1st August, 1930, an
era which divided at the 1st Ramadan (the 19th January) into two looting
periods, the greater and the less; and (2) the settlement of future procedure. In
regard to the first item, Ibn Zeyd stated that he had not prepared a list, which
rendered examination of the claims impossible, but Captain Glubb succeeded in
securing his agreement to attempt an immediate restitution of the little loot
taken since the 19th January. In regard to the second item, Ibn Zeyd was equally
unprepared, having, he said, received no instructions to discuss future procedure.
Captain Glubb raised two further matters : (3) TJie taxation of 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
tribesmen in Nejd territory, on which point Ibn Zeyd replied that he had implicit
orders to tax; and (4) the “numerous protests'' by the Hejazi Government
against his, Captain Glubb’s, activities since his last meeting with Ibn Zeyd.
There seems to have been some misconception of the real position here, for only
one protest was made, under three main heads, and it was made from Mecca on
the same day as the meeting at Hazim Wells, the 3rd June (see May-June report,
paragraph 29). So that, when Ibn Zeyd expressed to Captain Glubb his
astonishment at “ the continued despatch of such protests, in view of the fact that
after their first meeting he had written at length to Ibn Saud ” to persuade him
of Captain Glubb’s real merit, it seems that their feelings were being
unnecessarily harrowed.
24. With regard to this first main meeting of the 15th August, it may be
added, for purposes of record, that, whereas Fuad Bey informed His Majesty’s
Minister on the 21st June that instructions for the meeting had been sent to
Ibn Zeyd, adding that it would be better if Captain Glubb were to wait a few
days before arranging the meeting so as to allow time for the instructions to
arrive, it was not until the end of July that Captain Glubb received instructions
to suggest to Ibn Zeyd a date and place for the meeting. He did so, but received a
reply from Ibn Zeyd that he had not yet received his instructions. About the
10th August, however, the latter sent to say that he was ready, and they met, only
to find that Ibn Zeyd, as already mentioned, had neither lists of past raids nor
instructions as to future procedure. Yet the Hejazi Under-Secretary has since
categorically informed His Majesty’s Charge d’Affaires at jedda (the
19th September) that Tbn Zeyd was supplied in good time with a full list of
claims.
25. The meeting of the 15th August was the first fruit of His Majesty’s
Government’s strong representations of the 28th February to Ibn Saud, that