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‘I/6 Saudi-Arabia Miscellaneous’ [‎23r] (45/96)

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The record is made up of 1 file (45 folios). It was created in 25 May 1937-19 Feb 1945. It was written in English. 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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P.Z.3077/40.
British Legation
Jedda.
No. 48
ay Gth, 1940
(1043/560/2)
My Lord,
The Italiein monthly review ’’Oriente : ode mo a published in
October last a list of the ,, IlcIlwan' , settlements or "colonies"
which had been established in various parts of Nejd, and which
were mentioned in the press reports of the tribal meeting which
took place at Riyadh in August 1939# The Italian paper’s report
gave the impression that the Ikhwan movement was still of great
political importance in this country. Mr# de Gaury, however,
went through the list of settlements and made certain comments
which may interest Your Lordship’s department, and I now have
the honour to submit a short note on the present position of
the Ikhwan movement in the light of Mr. de Gaury 1 s report and
such other information as is available. I must however confess
that accurate information from Arab sources on this subject is
almost impossible to obtain.
2. It will be remembered that the religious settlements of
the "lkhwan ,f (brethren) date from 1912. A general description
of their character and objects is given in "Field Notes on" Saudi
Arabia", 1935, pages 32 and 33. The original idea was to
establish agricultural settlements throughout the various tribal
areas, peopled by the more fanatical elements of Wahhabi Arabs,
in order not only to break up the existing nomad and tribal
organisation for the benefit of the state, but to retain the
services of the fanatics and divert them from raids into Iraq
and Kuweit, forming them by degrees into the nucleus of a
territorial and national army. Mr# Philby’s book "The Heart
of Arabia", published in 1922, contains many reference to
Ikhwan settlements and to the hopes which were then cherished
as to their national,non-tribal, usefulness*
3. Mr. de Gaury, however, now informs me that in the
opinion of many Arabs with whom he talked recently at Riyadh
the Ikhwan move, lent is dead. Appendix IV, page 130, of
"Field Notes" draws attention to the gradual lowering of the
strict religious standards which had been the boast of the
first settlers in "Ikhwan" communities. It appears that this
deterioration of religious zeal has gone on at an increasing
rate. Such settlements as remain are no longer purely
religious colonics: the increasing tide of pros icrity and
security against tribal raids lias resulted in a good deal of
tribal settlement, and the Ikhwan colonies have become merged
into, and swallowed up by, tribal settlements which have little
or no connexion with strict Wahhabi tenets. In some cases
Mr. de Gaury knew from personal experience that settlements
mentioned in the lists no longer exist at all: for example,
the colon y called "Ureira" in t ,e Ajnan tribal territory, which
never had more than about four houses, is now completely
deserted. The tendency towards tribal settlement is well
shown by such schemes as the agricultural development at Kharj,
about which a separate report has been submitted.
I have, etc.
(Sgd.) F.H.W. Stonehewer Bird.
The Right Hon. the Viscount Halifax, K.G.
etc. etc. etc.

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Content

Correspondence and papers relating to miscellaneous affairs in Saudi Arabia, as reported to or by 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 Kuwait:

  • In 1937, the formation of the Nejdi Motor Car Company, a concession set up to convey pilgrims between Nejd, Hasa [al-Aḥsā’], and the Hejaz. Papers include a translation of an announcement of the formation of the new company, published in Saut al Hejaz on 15 Rabi’ al-awwal 1356 (corresponding to 25 May 1937) (ff 2-5).
  • In November 1939, the distribution and use of the Saudi riyal (ff 7-9).
  • In December 1939, the status of three islands in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Fasht al Jārim, Khor Fasht [Khawr Fasht], and Jazirat Chaschus [Kaskūs]), to which the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) had sent a technical party (ff 12-14).
  • In December 1939, reports on water supplies for agriculture at Kharj (ff 16-21).
  • affairs in Saudi Arabia during the Second World War, including food shortages and reportedly ineffective food controls (ff 29-41).
  • A translation of Saudi Arabian Nationality Regulation No. 3, originally published by the Government of Saudi Arabia in Umm al Qura on 24 Shawwāl 1357 (equivalent to 16 December 1938) (ff 43-46).
Extent and format
1 file (45 folios)
Arrangement

The file’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest item at the front to the latest at the end.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 47; 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 additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-46; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

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English in Latin script
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‘I/6 Saudi-Arabia Miscellaneous’ [‎23r] (45/96), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/5/120, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100042384847.0x00002e> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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