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Coll 6/16 'Future of: Royal Family. Probable happenings on the death of Ibn Saud.' [‎86r] (172/440)

The record is made up of 1 file (218 folios). It was created in 30 Sep 1931-7 Oct 1949. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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3
to whom r p<ioc saudica means boredom and deprivation of the opportunity for men
to distinguish and enrich themselves by* raiding. It seems hardly possible that
there should not be some trouble when Ibn Baud dies, and it may be true that
only an Ibn Sand could deal with such trouble if it arose. His ability and
experience are unique in the Arab world, and enable him to apply the personal
methods of the sheikh to the large and complicated State into which his tribal
has grown. Even if his successor had Ibn Baud’s natural ability, which
seems unlikely, it will not have been sharpened by years of hard and dangerous
experience. Then there is no permanent civil service with a vested interest in
stability. The provinces are run by Nejdis, who may be amirs to-day and nothing
to-morrow, while the departments are largely in the hands of men who seem to
use their opportunities to fill their pockets and are assisted by a crowd of
spiritless small officials who receive very low pay which is often in arrears.
7. It is not necessary to take these gloomy speculations very seriouslv, since
Ibn Baud may live for twenty years yet. Moreover, it is possible that the discovery
of oil in Hasa may make for stability—a point which will be dealt with in a later
despatch.
8. I am sending copies of this despatch to His Majesty’s Ambassadors at
Cairo, Bagdad, his Excellency the High Commissioner for Palestine at
Jerusalem, and to the Hon. the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. at Bushire.
I have, &c.
R. W. BULLARD.

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Content

This file relates to Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] and the future of Arabia in the event of his death.

The file largely consists of copies of Foreign Office correspondence, which have been forwarded by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the Under-Secretary of State for India. Also included are copies of correspondence addressed to the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. and the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle, succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior).

The correspondence begins with the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. 's response to the Foreign Secretary to the Government of India's remark that British influence in the Middle East seems largely to depend on the life of one man: Ibn Saud.

Related matters discussed in the correspondence include the following:

  • The effect that Ibn Saud's death, or fall from power, might have on Kuwait.
  • The designation of Amir Saud [Sa‘ūd bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd] as Ibn Saud's heir apparent in 1933.
  • Rumours of tense relations between Amir Saud and his brother Feisal [Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Sa'ud].
  • Arab public opinion on Ibn Saud, following the Saudi-Yemeni war.
  • Reports of Ibn Saud and Amir Saud having been attacked by would-be assassins in Mecca in 1935.
  • Amir Saud's visit to India for medical treatment in 1940.
  • Reports of the arrest of ninety persons suspected of being involved in a plot to assassinate Ibn Saud in 1940.

Other prominent correspondents include the following: 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. , Kuwait (Harold Richard Patrick Dickson, succeeded by Gerald Simpson de Gaury); 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. , Bahrain (Hugh Weightman); the British Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan; Sir Reader William Bullard; Hugh Stonehewer Bird); His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires, Jedda (Albert Spencer Calvert); officials of the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , the Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, and the Government of India's External Affairs Department.

In addition to correspondence the file includes the following:

The file includes two dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 file (218 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 219; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An external leather cover wraps around the documents and the front inside of this cover has been foliated as folio 1. A previous foliation sequence, which is present between ff 2-218 and is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

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English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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Coll 6/16 'Future of: Royal Family. Probable happenings on the death of Ibn Saud.' [‎86r] (172/440), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2082, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100038375479.0x0000ad> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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