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File 3372/1916 Pt 2 'Arabia: French and Italian policy' [‎85v] (179/498)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (243 folios). It was created in 30 May 1917-11 Dec 1918. It was written in English, French and Italian. 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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gendarmerie, under B " tlf ’ lr t lr.t the creation of a Maakat Levy Corps, to
connection it may be remaikcd tha ,' consideration of His Majesty’s
relieve the In d, an g^rnson was <m ( U ; 1anuary l9l4)conside.-ed
Government in 1913 11. 11 . , ^ , p • j ent ]n t i ie Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ) to be
the proposal (whicli ( ^ r,gin ( ‘ l ^ ^ nationa i po i nt 0 f view, ‘ 5 so long as the corps
open to no objection rom ^^ (l 1 llil . el . s by w hom it is commanded
,s nominally a ^ „ T , po i nte d out that precedents were
nominally in » 'tan s semce^^ ^ !U . rallg(!meI , t byan indepen-
not ].n king " ] ■ tt as „ ll( ier reference to the Government of India
trrr broke rt tt m.d has since remained miibeyanc, Tb ; nd.an
ssr .r^.% « ^
invest the question of the future control of the arms tralhc uith an
rportance infinitely higher than has ever attached to the subject in the
past.
10. Admiral Slade further urged the desirability o! extending effective
British influence over the “ Pirate Coast,” the strip of Araman coast
Ivino- north-west of the Sultan of Maskat’s territory and forming the western
shoulder of the Oman promontory. 'I Ins is the region occupied by the
so called “ Trucial ” Chiefs (Debai, Shargah, 1 m-el-Kavvain, Ac.,, all of
whom are in treaty relations with His Majesty’s Government and have
undertaken to enter into no agreement or correspondence with any othei
Power than Great Britain. All these chiefs formally prohibited the import
•uid export ot arms and ammunition to and from their territories in . - ,
hut, there is reason to think that the prohibition has not always been
effective, and that arms from Alaska! have Irom time to time been smuggled
;,.frx Pore In tlirniioli tliPir DOl’tS.
JIBUTI AND WEST AFRICA.
J J. The question of Jibuti was only cursorily coiishiered, the main dis
cussion on this point being deferred till the following meeting. It was agreed
that in proportion as the traffic is more effectually suppressed at Mask at, the
more likely is it to increase at Jibuti, where the French Government (though
they have agreed to prohibit imports during the continuance o[ the war) have
never regarded it with an unfriendly eye. In fact, as Sir W . I yrrcll pointed
out. the arms traffic is the main source from which the local French adminis
tration derive their income, and the disappearance of the trade would involve
an increased burden upon the French taxpayer, for the maintenance of the
Colony, which would naturally he unwelcome to the Government at Paris.
The ideal solution would be the transfer of French Somaliland to Great
Britain, but the Foreign Office representative held out little hope that the
French Government would entertain such a proposition, except on a basis
of territorial compensation ; and in any case the Sub-Committee was in
favour of keeping, if possible, the arms traffic negotiations separate from
the question of territorial exchanges, in regard to which, it was held, we
eoiild ill afford to sacrifice a single card in our hand.
12. Fortunately circumstances have arisen which hold out some promise
of a satisfactory bargain with the French Government. The latter have
quite recently (3rd November 191G) requested llis Majesty’s Government to
take measures to prevent the traffic in arms between British and French
territory in West Africa. Lord Grey replied (8th December 1916) that
"‘His Majesty’s Government would be prepared 1o take action with a

About this item

Content

The volume contains papers largely relating to French policy in the Hedjaz [Hejaz] and Arabia, and Anglo-French relations concerning the region. It includes papers relating to the following:

  • The French mission being sent to the Hedjaz under Mustapha Cherchali.
  • The French Military Mission in the Hedjaz.
  • The British desire for French recognition of British predominance in the region.
  • The Sykes-Picot Mission.
  • The recommendations of HM High Commissioner, Egypt, on future British policy in Arabia.
  • The desire of the French government to send the equivalent in gold of 975,000 francs to the King of the Hedjaz.
  • The question of a revised agreement between Britain and France regarding Arabia and the Hedjaz.
  • The activities of a French agent at Mecca, Mahomet Bin Sasi.

The volume also includes papers relating to the policy to be adopted by Britain towards Italian ‘pretentions’ in Arabia.

The papers mostly consist of: correspondence between 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 Foreign Office, with enclosures including correspondence between the Foreign Office and the French Ambassador to the United Kingdom; copy correspondence between the Foreign Office and Sir Reginald Wingate, HM High Commissioner, Egypt, sent 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. by the Foreign Office; 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. Minute Papers; and other correspondence and papers. Some of the papers are in French, and there is also a copy of a newspaper cutting in Italian.

The file includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (243 folios)
Arrangement

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

The subject 3372 (Pt 1 Arab Revolt, and Pt 2 Arabia) consists of two volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/615-616. The volumes are divided into two parts, with part 1 comprising one volume, and part 2 comprising the second volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 243; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.

A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English, French and Italian in Latin script
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File 3372/1916 Pt 2 'Arabia: French and Italian policy' [‎85v] (179/498), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/616, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100046208597.0x0000b4> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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