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Coll 6/58 'Asir: Relations between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen.' [‎428r] (862/908)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (449 folios). It was created in Jun 1914-31 May 1934. It was written in English and French. 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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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS RRITinwio mi« ■ ■ ——
— Hib BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOYERNMENt
EASTERN (Arabia).
March 13, IGS* ^
r CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 2 ,
[E 1637/79/25]
No. 1.
>SV A. Ryan to Sir John Simon—(Received March 13.)
nothing but the treaty-making remains. The Saudi Government themselves seem
to have been anxious to foster this idea, witness the announcement on p 13 of the
limes of the 8th February, a variant of which was given about the same time to
the Egyptian press.
2 . I he announcement just mentioned suggests either of two things.
Ibn Sand may be so averse from war that he is determined to make the Abha
Conference a success at all costs, or he may be expecting war but anxious to be
able to represent it in due course as due to the Imam’s intractability in a general
negotiation which promised to be successful. At the moment it is" impossible to
know what has been passing at Abha. The Amir Feisal returned from the camel
parks about the 15th February and came to Jedda on the 18th for four days.
When I saw him on the 20th he professed to have had no news from Abha, since
that of the arrival of the Yemeni delegation; although three clear days had
elapsed, and there is no reason to believe that wireless communication has been
interrupted. The Prince replied rather vaguely to a question about the position
in the mountain area peopled by the Beni Malik, &c., but I understood him to say
that he thought that the Yemeni forces had withdrawn.
3. Mr. Philby, who returned from Mecca three days after my conversation
with the Amir, had heard nothing further about the negotiations, and he told
me last evening that according to the Minister of Finance there was still no news.
It seems hardly credible that the two Ministers most concerned should remain
completely in the dark for over a week, but it is possible that the King is keeping
the matter in his own hands at Riyadh, and it is conceivable, though less probable,
that he has given full discretion to the heir apparent.
4. Meanwhile, the Saudi military preparations have continued. There
appears to have been activity up Medina way about the time of and just after the
Amir Feisal’s excursion in that direction. One thousand one hundred men from
the north are reported to have gone south by motor lorry at that time. Ford
lorries bought through Mr. Philby's firm were being hurried off to Mecca as soon
as they could be assembled, without undergoing any road test. Two of the motor
barges sent to Jizan some time ago returned to Jedda on the 19th February and
put to sea again two days later. The third was delayed on the return voyage, but
reached Jedda later and left for Jizan on the 24th February with another party
of some 200 troops.
5. I am sending copies of this despatch to His Majesty’s Ambassador in
Rome and to His Majesty’s Chief Commissioner at Aden.
I have, &c.
ANDREW RYAN.

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Content

This volume concerns relations between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Most of the correspondence is focussed on British policy in response to the Saudi-Yemeni conflict.

Related matters that feature in the correspondence include the following:

  • Reports in March 1934 that peace negotiations between Saudi and Yemeni representatives have failed.
  • The British response to reports of the evacuation of Hodeida by Yemeni forces, which include the dispatch of HMS Penzance and proposals to fly aircraft over the town.
  • Discussion as to whether the British Government should invite Italian naval cooperation regarding Hodeida.
  • The presence of HMS Penzance , and later HMS Enterprise , at Hodeida.
  • The state of affairs in Hodeida (as reported by the Commander of HMS Enterprise ) following its occupation by Saudi forces.
  • Saudi concerns that Italy might intervene in the conflict on the side of the Imam of Yemen.
  • Discussion as to whether or not the Italian Government's decision to land troops at Hodeida and Mocha – ostensibly to protect Italian interests – constitutes an act of intervention.
  • Differences of opinion between the British and Italian Governments over the sovereignty of Asir.
  • Reports in May 1934 of the suspension of hostilities and the beginning of peace negotiations.
  • Unfounded rumours of the death of Imam of Yemen [Yaḥyá Muḥammad Ḥamīd al-Dīn].

Notable correspondents include the following: His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan); His Majesty's Ambassador in Rome (James Eric Drummond); His Majesty's Ambassador in Bagdad [Baghdad] (Sir Francis Humphrys); the High Commissioner, Egypt (Miles Wedderburn Lampson); 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. , Aden (Bernard Rawdon Reilly); the Secretary of State for the Colonies (Philip Cunliffe-Lister); the Commander of HMS Penzance ; the Commander of HMS Enterprise ; the Senior Officer of the Red Sea Sloops; the Command-in-Chief, Mediterranean; the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; officials of the Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, the Admiralty, and the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department.

In addition to correspondence the volume includes copies of political intelligence summaries from the Aden Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , the Bahrain Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , and the Kuwait Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. respectively, as well as a sketch map of the Arabian Peninsula.

The French material consists of two items of correspondence. The aforementioned sketch map is dated June 1914; the rest of the volume dates from 1934, with most of the material falling within April-May 1934 (a few items of correspondence date from February-March 1934).

The volume includes two dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence (folio 3-4).

Extent and format
1 volume (449 folios)
Arrangement

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 449; 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.

An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 218-449; these numbers are also written in pencil and circled, but are crossed through.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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Coll 6/58 'Asir: Relations between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen.' [‎428r] (862/908), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2125, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100054977107.0x00003f> [accessed 19 April 2024]

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