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Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [310r] (620/680)
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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
119
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OP HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (General).
-^CONFIDENTIAL.
FE 7813/7697/65]
Sir R. Bullard to Viscount Halifax.—(Received December 4.)
(No. 160. Secret.)
My Lord, Jedda, November 13, 1939.
I HAVE the honour to transmit a translation of a statement about Russia
and the Arab world which Ibn Saud has sent to me through Mr. Wall, who is still
at Riyadh. Copies of Mr. Wall’s letter and memorandum on this subject were
sent to Mr. Baggallay on the 3rd November^ 1 )
2. It is a little difficult to see exactly what Ibn Saud is driving at. Is he
asking for arms or hoping for a subsidy ? Or has he really been driven by what
he thinks to be the Russian menace to contemplate an Arab union which he has
hitherto regarded as chimerical owing to the different aims of the various parts ?
He expressly asks His Majesty’s Government to believe that he is not grinding
his own axe, but against this there is the exclamation by Sheikh Yusuf Yasin,
quoted by Mr. Wall: “His Majesty’s Government grant Turkey a loan of
£60 million, but do not give the Arabs 60 piastres.” This recalls a remark that
Ibn Saud made when he first read the scheme for the partition of Palestine, which
provided for the payment of a large lump sum in order to put Transjoidan on its
feet. “ By all means give Abdullah 2 million,” said the King, “ but don’t let me
go bankrupt.” It may, however, be envy rather than a real need that makes the
King compare the situation of Turkey with his own or with that of the Arabs in
general. Captain de Gaury, who leaves for Riyadh in a few days, may be able to
form a more precise notion of the King’s views.
3. Ibn Saud’s scheme for an Arab union fostered and subsidised by His
Majesty s Government does not sound a very practical policy for war time, but
on that His Majesty’s Government will give their reply in due course.
Meanwhile, Captain de Gaury, to whom I am giving a copy of this despatch, is
being instructed to put the following considerations before Ibn Saud as from me
and not as representing the views of His Majesty’s Government in so important
a matter :—
(a) While we cannot exclude the possibility that Soviet Russia may profit by
the preoccupations of the other Powers to expand southwards, it seems
improbable that she will do so, for she cannot be certain of the
friendship either of Germany or of Japan, and may therefore be chary
of making two fresh enemies on the south—Turkey and Persia,
(b) The attitude of His Majesty towards Turkey is understandable, but His
Majesty’s Government have better hopes on that point. It seems
certain that 1 urkey would be resolutely opposed to the advance of
Russia southwards either through Turkey or through Iran.
(c) The Iranian Government have always striven to avoid being brought
under even the economic domination of Russia, and they would
certainly resist any attempt by Russia to invade their country.
(d) His Majesty’s Government are prepared to believe that the tendency will
be for the Arab countries, under the influence of a common language
and a common religion, to draw closer together as time goes om At
the same time they have never considered that it would be wise for
them to try to promote this aim, on which the Arabs themselves are by
no means united at present and the French may have views of theiV
own, and to embaik upon so difficult a task when enjjas'ed q maior
war would be extremely difficult. ^ J
(e) His Majesty has already been doing his best, as His Majesty’s Govern
ment gratefully acknowledge, to remove the one grievance (the
Palestine question) which prevents the Arabs from co-operating
whole-heartedly with the Allies.
P) Printed as Enclosures 2 and 3 to this despatch
[780 d 2] B
December 4, 1939.
Section 2.
Copy No.
About this item
- 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.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [310r] (620/680), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2163, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100046518049.0x000017> [accessed 8 June 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2163
- Title
- Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:36v, 39r:57v, 59r:110v, 113r:182v, 184r:189v, 191r:310r, 311v:339v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence