Coll 6/61 'The Yemen: Relations between H.M.G. and the Imam.' [‎55v] (112/507)

3. Shortly after they had returned to the shore the Mission, accompanied by
Captain Hermon Hodge, landed, the landing being somewhat precarious owing to the
dilapidated condition of the swinging iron steps leading from the sea to the jetty. After
being welcomed on the jetty by the Officer Commanding the Forces and other officials,
the Mission proceeded past drawn up troops and interested spectators to the Government
Court House, which had been reserved for our use, and were received there by Seiyid
‘Abdullah ibn al Wazir Minister. , the Governor, who gave us a warm welcome. Accompanied by
Lieutenant Morphew and Mr. Salih Ja'far I returned the Governor’s call at 5 p.m.
I found with the Governor Sharif 'Abdullah ad Dumein, a charming old gentleman who
had commanded the Imam's forces in the Yemen advance against Marib and Al Joba
in 1930 {vide paragraph 1339 of Political Intelligence Summary*). The heat in Hodeida
was intense. Qadhi All sat down to dinner with us and the band played during dinner.
4. Early the next day, after a sticky night, and one not entirely free from
mosquitoes, we proceeded by cars on the first stage of the journey to San'a. Our
destination that night was Ma'bar {vide Sir Bernard Reilly’s report), but owing to
mishaps en route, we were unable to reach there by nightfall and bivouacked on the
motor-track not far from Madinat Al ‘Abid. Qadhi ‘Ali came with ns to San'a. The
country after leaving ‘Ubal, as far as the summit of the Masna’ Pass was magnificent,
and, green and fresh after the rains, with a profusion of standing crops and running
streams, was at its best, while the grandeur of the flanking mountains, verdant and
wooded, added to the beauty of the scene.
5. The next day, 1st September, we reached Ma'bar at about 11.30 a.m. and were
hospitably entertained by the ‘Amil of the District, Seyid Ahmed al Jirafi. His head
quarters are at Dhoran, under the pinnacle summit of Jebal Dhoran (10,000 feet), a
landmark from the Dhamar plain, and he had come over to Ma'bar especially to receive
us, having had everything ready for our comfort the previous night. I expressed an
apology as best as I could for the inconvenience caused him by our delayed arrival.
After a hasty change from our travelling clothes to . clothes more in keeping with our
anticipated reception in San'a, we left Ma'bar in our cars at about 1.30 p.m. for the
last stage of 3^-4 hours. The ‘Amil accompanied us. About two miles out of San'a,
we were met by a party of cavalry who accompanied us from here onwards. After
entering the walls of the city by the gate called “ Bab as Sabah ” we alighted from our
cars and I was met by the Officer Commanding the Troops drawn up to receive us,
who were lining the route from the gate to our residence, the Turkish Court-house called
As Sanaya ", where the Clayton Mission was lodged and also that of Sir Bernard Reilly.
On arrival we were welcomed by the Prime Minister, Qadhi ‘Abdullah al ‘Amri,
and the Foreign Minister, Qadhi Muhammad Raghib Bey. Tea and coffee were served,
while the band discoursed sweet music outside, the pieces played ranging from a tune
which one or two of us recognized as the old familiar refrain of ‘ ‘ Pop goes the weasel! ’ ’
to the British and Yemeni National Anthems. Unfortunately, none of us knew the
latter, and only one of us recognized the former, so we failed to honour them by
standing up.
6. The next day, 3rd September, Qadhi Raghib payed me a call to discuss our
first audience with the King. I had suggested that this should be in the nature of a visit
to pay our respects on arrival and that the more ceremonious visit for the exchange
of the Ratification documents should take place subsequently. But the Qadhi explained
that it was the King of the Yemen’s wish that, as I was the bearer of a document
containing the signature of the King of Great Britain, the first visit should be for the
purpose of handing over this document. Also, the King of the Yemen was residing at
present at Ar Rodha, the grape-garden city five miles outside San'a, and preferred not
to have to come in to San'a and have the troops turned out twice.
7. On 4th September, at about 10 a.m., I proceeded to the palace, accompanied
by Wing-Commander Knowles, Lieutenant Morphew, Mr. Salih Ja'far, and the two
Arab orderlies. All except Mr. Salih Ja'far were in uniform. The streets were lined
with troops and interested spectators. Qadhi Raghib met us at the door of the Palace
and conducted us along the corridor to the audience chamber at its end. We had
arranged to get there early in order to compare carefully the two Arabic copies of the
Treaty and especially the two Arabic versions of the Ratification clause. The exact
wording of His Majesty's Ratification was necessarily not followed by the King of the
Yemen as he has his own form of Ratification similar to that which he has used in
* No. 79252/30 [Enclosure in No. 181].