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Coll 6/67(4) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [109r] (217/843)
The record is made up of 1 file (420 folios). It was created in 12 Nov 1935-27 Sep 1937. 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.
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia).
April 12, 1937.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 5.
[E 1961/92/25] Copy No. j 5^
Sir R. Bullard to Mr. Eden.—{Received April 12.)
(No. 41.)
Sir, Jedda, March 23, 1937.
IN my despatch No. 40, dated the 23rd March, I reported that during
Mr. Rendel’s short stay in Jedda, from the 17th to 22nd March, we had several
interviews with His Majesty King Abdul Aziz. I now have the honour to enclose
a summary of these conversations. The conversations themselves and unavoidable
hospitality occupied most of the time during the last two and half days, so
that there was not time to make a complete record before Mr. Renders departure.
2. It might have been more satisfactory to divide the record up into portions
according to the various subjects discussed, and to send each portion
separately with a covering despatch, but there is not time to do this before
the bag goes, and in any case the subjects overlap a good deal. Where comment
seems to be called for I hope to send it by the following bag, and the question
of Palestine, at any rate, requires a telegram.
3. In two or three places I have inserted material which may appear to be
remote from present-day politics, e.cj., references to Ibn Saud’s relations with
the Sherif (later King) Hussein and to his dealings with British officials in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
before the war. I think these references are relevant as showing
that the mind of the King is always roving back to the times when, as he thinks,
he deserved well of His Majesty’s Government and reflecting that he has got
precious little out of it. I am not saying, at the moment, that any bitterness
that Ibn Saud feels on this score is justified, but only that it exists.
4. I have been more than six months at this post, but it was not until
now that I could come into contact with the man who directs foreign affairs,
as he directs everything else in Saudi Arabia, The peculiar position in which
foreign representatives are placed in this country is familiar to you, but it may
be of use to illustrate it from my short experience. I arrived at Jedda in the
middle of last September, and presented credentials to and dined with the
Amir Feisal, a purely nominal Minister for Foreign Affairs, who at once retreated
to the hills of Taif. The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fuad Bey, was
on leave, and did not return until towards the end of November, and for two
months I saw no one connected with foreign affairs except the King’s secretary.
Yusuf Yasin, who came to Jedda at the end of September to arrange for the
exchange of notes about the Treaty of Jedda and connected matters, communicated
a long statement from the King about foreign affairs, and retired to the other
side of Arabia. Between the return of Fuad Bey towards the end of November
and his hurried and surprising departure on leave a few days before Mr. Rendel
was due to arrive, I have had occasional interviews—sometimes at tiresomely
long intervals—with Fuad Bey, whom there is reason to think that the King
does not entirely trust, and who I think has misled me on one or two occasions.
5. I may mention that during the course of the conversations reported in
the enclosure the King twice said that he hoped I would pay him a visit at
Riyadh. For many reasons such a visit is not to be undertaken lightly, but
it may be useful to have the invitation in hand if matters of importance have
to be dealt with and no satisfaction can be obtained here during the long interval
between two successive annual visits of the King to Jedda, the only place in
Saudi Arabia where a foreign representative is allowed to reside.
6. I am sending copies of this despatch and enclosure to Cairo, Jerusalem,
Bagdad, Bushire and Aden.
I have, &c.
R. W. BULLARD.
[981 m—5]
B
About this item
- Content
This file primarily concerns British policy regarding the eastern and south-eastern boundaries of Saudi Arabia, specifically those bordering Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Muscat (i.e. the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman).
Much of the correspondence relates to British concerns that the boundaries should be demarcated prior to the commencement of any oil prospecting in the area. The file's principal correspondents are the following: His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan, succeeded by Sir Reader William Bullard); the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle); 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. , Bahrain (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch); 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. , Muscat (Major Ralph Ponsonby Watts); the Secretary of State for the Colonies; the Secretary of State for India; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; officials of the Foreign Office, the Colonial 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. , and the Admiralty.
Matters discussed in the correspondence include the following:
- Whether the British should press King Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] for a settlement of the outstanding questions relating to the aforementioned boundaries.
- Sir Andrew Ryan's meeting with Ibn Saud and the Deputy Minister for Saudi Foreign Affairs, Fuad Bey Hamza, in Riyadh, in November 1935.
- The disputed territories of Jebel Naksh [Khashm an Nakhsh, Qatar] and Khor-al-Odeid [Khawr al ‘Udayd].
- Whether or not a territorial agreement between Ibn Saud and Qatar was concluded prior to the Anglo-Qatar Treaty of 1916.
- The intentions of Petroleum Concessions Limited regarding the development of its oil concession in Qatar.
- The line proposed by the British for the boundary between Saudi Arabia and the Aden Protectorate.
- The Kuwait blockade.
- Leading personalities in Oman.
- Details of Harry St John Bridger Philby's expedition to Shabwa [Shabwah, Yemen].
- Four meetings held between Sir Reader Bullard, George Rendel (Head of the Foreign Office's Eastern Department), and Ibn Saud, in Jedda, 20-22 March 1937.
Also included are the following:
- Copies of the minutes of meetings of the Committee of Imperial Defence's Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East.
- Copies of correspondence dating from 1906, exchanged between the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Major Percy Zachariah Cox), the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department, and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi [Shaikh Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan], regarding the latter's claim to Khor-al-Odeid.
- Several maps and sketch maps depicting the proposed boundaries discussed in the correspondence.
The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence (folio 2).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (420 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 421; 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. 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 6/67(4) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [109r] (217/843), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2137, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100049619516.0x000014> [accessed 16 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2137
- Title
- Coll 6/67(4) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:30v, 33r:47v, 50r:60v, 64r:93v, 95r:107v, 109r:210v, 213r:304v, 313r:358v, 360r:421v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence