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Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [‎19r] (38/680)

The record is made up of 1 file (338 folios). It was created in 24 Oct 1939-1 Jan 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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COPY
&
Moym sent yon a copy of hi* letter dated'29th
^epteefeer to the Soeret. ry ef htete about the eobal^y
to eeedf AMbla« f The Treeeory h**e ale* r^oelrea
^eepatob. iio* dd of the 6th Bepteehe# frea «fec i* to
which IfiOyne refer**
4 * yen mli« # ^ mm greatly
jUa;meftly dfffloult taelrphleh »/e
'r**taring e^ufidbrlta* in eur hale
ere running into debt at the rate
yeer end If it were net fee teniel
we should be rtmnlng late debt et
allllon e year. Before we een in
oufflelently to bridge the gap, e
will be neee^eery end at the beet
pro eeenpled with the
hare before u* In
ef peyii' *e
of ewer £700 allllon i
»eeee end aiutnsl Aid,
the rate of £ 1,300
* our exports
wery greet effort
thle emrt tab* time*
..hen we originally dwelled on a subsidy e£
£200,000 to Saudi Arable in 19*0, thrr^ weo a rery reel
need In order to prwwent the country being benkmpted hs
the falling off in the S ilgri wige. Row the el tout? on i«
entirely changed. The taerleana clearly here f»de up
their siinds to erend e greet deal of monmj on Saudi
Aratfe, the Filgrim* hr we inoreeaed and oudl rabla Wt%
reeeiwe wery large <wonntft by way of oil royaltlee. T
recegnlae that 19^5 ia likely to be e year of partieuls:
etreaa and difficulty in the Fiddle last. Eewertheleai
T do not feel that it would be right for ne te agree te
e continuance of the aubaidy ewen for this one year
tmleaa It le your oonaldered opinion that the political
ed wantage of doing ee would be so great e® to outweigh
;■> e*
MS 4b
Ttw Ight Roau EleterA
2 10'
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.

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Content

This file concerns British policy towards Saudi Arabia during the Second World War (the abbreviation 'Qn' in the title stands for 'Question'). The correspondence discusses the question of providing financial or material assistance to Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd], as well as the United States' growing economic and strategic interests in Saudi Arabia.

The file features the following principal correspondents: His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Reader Bullard, Hugh Stonehewer Bird, and Stanley R Jordan successively); the Secretary of State for India (Leo Amery); the Viceroy of India (Archibald Percival Wavell); the Chancellor of the Exchequer (John Anderson); officials of the Foreign Office, 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 Treasury, the Government of India's Finance and External Affairs Departments, and the United States Embassy in London.

Related matters of discussion include the following:

  • The idea (initially discussed in correspondence dating from 1939) of an alliance or a bloc of Arab states (chiefly comprised of Saudi Arabia and the Yemen), which would support the Allied cause.
  • The Italo-German reaction to Ibn Saud's refusal to receive German diplomat Dr Fritz Konrad Ferdinand Grobba, a decision that was applauded by the British.
  • Italian influence in the Middle East.
  • Anglo-French co-operation in the Middle East.
  • Details of the Saudi Government's finances (i.e. expenditure and revenue) during the early war years.
  • Arrangements for loans and payments from the British to the Saudi Government, as well as details of royalties and loans paid to the Saudi Government by the California Arabian Standard Oil Company (Casoc).
  • Proposals for an irrigation and agricultural mission to Saudi Arabia, headed by a United States agricultural expert.
  • Conversations between Ibn Saud and United States General Patrick Hurley during the latter's visit to Riyadh in May 1943.
  • The Government of India's decision in 1942 not to allow pilgrim ships to sail from India to Saudi Arabia, because of a risk of the ships being attacked.
  • Ibn Saud's requests in 1944 for the British Government to send to Saudi Arabia financial and military advisers, preferably Sunni Moslems [Muslims].
  • The proposed appointment of Ibn Saud's requested financial adviser, which is delayed and eventually abandoned, following the United States' suggestion that the position be given to a United States adviser, because of the United States' 'preponderant interest' in the Saudi economy.

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 (folio 2).

Extent and format
1 file (338 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 (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 339; 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 262-286; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

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English in Latin script
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Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [‎19r] (38/680), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2163, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100046518046.0x000029> [accessed 25 April 2024]

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