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Coll 6/33 'Hejaz-Nejd: Internal Administration and Constitution; Various Laws.' [‎143r] (287/392)

The record is made up of 1 file (193 folios). It was created in 7 Aug 1928-22 Feb 1940. 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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' L.
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC M AJESTY’S fCT EBNfH^T:
EASTERN (Arabia).
CONFIDENTIAL.
s 1309/4309/91]
Angus
t2D
SEdTION,3^ ^
» 'iz? .w> U
No. 1.
Sij' A. Ryan to Mr. A. Henderson.—(Received August 11.)
(No. 18L)
Sir, Jedda, July 22, 1930.
YOU are aware of the difficulties under which the more purely diplomatic work
of this post is carried on. They are most painfully borne in on a person who is
trying to build up a stronger British representation here than has been possible in
the past. They result from the facts that the Legation is confined to Jedda; that
the King, personally inaccessible except on rare occasions when he comes here, is both
in theory and in practice the sole controller for Foreign Affairs; that the Ministry
for Foreign Affairs, such as it is, is in Mecca; and that the Acting Minister, who can
at least discuss questions though he can take practically no J decision, has to divide
himself between fairly constant personal attendance on the King, now that the latter
is at Taif, the management of his office at Mecca and occasional visits to Jedda, made
at short notice and at irregular intervals. Fuad Bey Hamza—he prefers the “ bey
to the “ sheikh,” I understand^—has been in Jedda for the following periods only,
since I arrived here on the 6th May :—
The 8th May when he returned from leave and proceeded direct to Mecca.
Morning of the 17th May, when he came with the King to receive my credentials,
until the afternoon of the 18th May, when he went to Mecca to rejoin the King.
The 27th May to, I think, the 29th or 30th May, a short visit without the King.
The 7th to 12th June, in attendance on the King with whom he arrived and left.
The 11th July to the 18th July, without the King. Otherwise my personal
intercourse with Fuad Hamza has, been confined to conversations by telephone, and
the telephonic service is only moderately efficient.
2. The difficulties of doing business are somewhat increased by imperfections
in the organisation of the Legation, but these are our own concern and will come
within the scope of a separate report. The other difficulties are more important as
regards diplomatic work proper. Opportunities of discussing really serious
questions with the King are reduced to a minimum. When he disappears into the
blue, and so far as he is concerned even Mecca and Taif are the blue, we cannot count
on any early opportunity of following up the discussions in personal conversation
with his Minister, except for an occasional enquiry over the telephone. When Fuad
Bey does visit Jedda, outstanding business of importance has to be brought up to
date in a frantic rush. There is no time at all to discuss the numerous minor matters,
which form the subject of notes, but which it should be possible for members of our
staffs to discuss personally from time to time in order to promote the settlement of
tiresome little questions and to relieve their chiefs.
3. I thought it desirable to make a statement of the whole subject to Fuad Bey
on the 17th July in personal conversation. He had spoken hopefully some time
before of the likelihood of Europeans being allowed access to Taif. On other
occasions he had mentioned to me a plan for holding weekly diplomatic receptions
at his office here and told me something of the difficulties which he himself
experienced owing to the King’s exigencies and aptness to upset plans. We had
that morning been discussing “ Bon Voisinage An agreement or treaty based on principles of 'good neighbourliness', often signed between countries which share borders. ” with Iraq and had reached a point
at which I had said that the King’s attitude might impel His Majesty’s Government
to instruct me to seek an audience before going on leave. The ground was thus well
prepared.
4. I was careful to say and to repeat at least once that I had no reason to
complain of the treatment extended to me personally. The King had shown me the
most distinguished consideration. When I was fortunate enought to get a chance
of talking business with Fuad Bey, I was treated in the same manner and found
myself face to face with a Minister of great ability. But I reminded Fuad Bey that
the King had desired a Legation and had told me himself that one of his objects was
to be able to open himself freely to a responsible senior official. I analysed the
situation on the lines of the earlier paragraphs of this despatch; laying some stress
on the impossibility of dealing with minor questions except by nofes and reminders.
193 1—1]
EFAOdURH.
FHOM
[N WEEKLY LETTLrv
18 3£EL1950l
secretary, political AH0
RET DEPT. 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 matters relating to the administration of the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia). It contains correspondence discussing laws and regulations passed by the Hejazi/Saudi Government.

The early part of the file (1928-1929) contains copies of translations of various royal decrees regarding the following:

  • The appointment of a commission to oversee the distribution and administration of charities in the Hejaz.
  • The registration of companies in the kingdom.
  • The composition and functions of the Legislative Council.

This part of the file contains a significant amount of correspondence from local government officials in British India, which discusses how the regulations on the distribution and administration of charities in the Hejaz might affect Indian Muslims. It includes concerns raised by representatives of Indian Muslims in Bombay and Karachi that the Wahabi interpretation of Sharia law on the subject of charities does not coincide with Sunni and Shia interpretations.

Later correspondence discusses the reorganisation of the administration of the Hejaz in 1930 and the new designation of Ibn Saud's dominions as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in September 1932. This part of the file includes the following:

  • A copy of a translation of the Hejazi constitution or 'fundamental rules' of 1926, together with copies of translations of subsequent regulations and notifications amending or superseding certain articles of the constitution.
  • A copy of a translation of a royal decree marking the change of name of the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Details of various Saudi Government regulations, such as those regarding the registration of companies in Saudi Arabia and those relating to the governance of foreign residents in the country.
  • Reports of the formation of the Saudi National First Aid Society in 1935.
  • Details regarding the reorganisation of Saudi Arabia's Legislative Council.

The file's principal correspondents are the following: the British Agent and Consul, Jedda (Hugh Stonehewer Bird); His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires to Jedda (Cecil Gervase Hope Gill, Albert Spencer Calvert, and Alan Charles Trott successively); His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan, succeeded by Sir Reader William Bullard); officials of the Board of Trade, the Foreign Office, and the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department.

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.

Extent and format
1 file (193 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 194; 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 2-193; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 6/33 'Hejaz-Nejd: Internal Administration and Constitution; Various Laws.' [‎143r] (287/392), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2099, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100050156189.0x00005a> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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