Skip to item: of 418
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

File 4931/1916 'Arabia [Nejd]: Bin Saud's subsidy. Payment of subsidy authorised on 1 Jan. 1917. Question of incidence. Payments made without Treasury authority' [‎53v] (115/418)

The record is made up of 1 volume (202 folios). It was created in 6 Oct 1916-5 Apr 1922. 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.

Apply page layout

Mr. Garhett pointed out that in any case we could not engage in advance the
future Mesopotamian Government.
Sir John Tilley agreed that the most suitable occasion for reconsidering this subsidy
would be the signature of peace with Turkey.
The Meeting was of opinion that, subject to 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 Treasury concurrence,
the 265,000h already paid as subsidy to Ibn Saud should be met from the Mesopotamian
surplus, and that Ibn Saud’s subsidy should continue to be paid till the signature of
peace from current Mesopotamian revenue^.
FUTURE POLICY AS TO SUBSIDIES.
Major Young observed that His Majesty’s Government were endeavouring to obtain
a ££ self-denying ordinance” from other Powers as regards Arabia. They were asking for
a special position in the Peninsula on account of its proximity to the Empire’s vital
maritime routes. The question was whether we could maintain that position without
expenditure in the shape of subsidies. India and His Majesty’s Government had felt up
to now that their interests justified the payment of certain subsidies, and if, as a result
of the Peace Treaty, His Majesty’s Government were to be given a special position in
the Peninsula, the case for continuing them would, if anything, be strengthened.
Sir John Tilley concurred.
In reply to a question by Mr. Phillips, Major Young considered that the appoint
ment of the Britist-Moslem representative at Mecca was an exactly parallel case and
amounted to an acknowledgment by the Treasury of the principle of His Majesty’s
Government’s interests in the pilgrimage question. (Mr. Phillips dissented.) The
whole question of subsidies in the Peninsula was, moreover, inextricably involved as
regards the various rulers. The relations of His Majesty’s Government with Hussein,
Ibn Saud and the Idrisi, for example, were mutually interdependent.
Mr. Phillips suggested that in spite of this it might be possible and more
satisfactory for His Majesty’s Government to back one ruler only.
Major Young agreed that this seemed more likely to be successful at first sight,
but pointed out that the Eastern Committee had discussed the question on various
occasions and had failed to arrive at a decision to concentrate on one subsidy. The
treasury had been represented at all these discussions.
Mr. Garbelt added that the question was not only one of maintaining our special
position in Arabia but went a good deal further. We were the greatest Moslem Power
in the world, and it was of the highest importance to the interests of the Empire as a
whole that the pilgrim routes should be kept open. Failing this, unrest in all colonies
containing Moslems would ensue. He considered that subsidies should take, in the
future, the less offensive form of payments for services rendered, i.e., services in
connection with keeping open the pilgrim routes. He suggested also that a ratio
might be observed in fixing the amount of the various subsidies- in the same way as had
been done by Colonel Wilson, who had suggested fixing Rashid’s subsidy at half Ibn
feaud s.
Mr. Phillips enquired how many British subjects actually used the pilgrim routes,
■ and suggested that if we kept one route open—by sea—we were really meeting our
responsibilities in the matter. &
Major 1 oung pointed out that it was not so much a question of the routes as of
the actual security of the holy places themselves—Mecca and Medina.
Mr. Phillips asked what the probable result would be if all the subsidies were
withdrawn {
Mr. Garbett considered that this would in all probability lead to the closino* of the
pi grim routes and thus to general unrest, not only in Arabia but in India and in our
other Moslem dependencies, as well as m those of other Powers.
Major ^} oung observed that a revival of Turcophil propaganda might also ensue
Moreover, m the event of a Wahabi invasion of the Hedjaz, causing dissatisfaction

About this item

Content

The volume contains papers, mostly correspondence and 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. Minute Papers and Reference Papers, mainly relating to the subsidy paid to Ibn Saud, Emir of Nejd [Najd]. It includes papers relating to the following:

The main correspondents are: 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 Foreign and Political Department of the Government of India; the Foreign Office; the War Office; the Treasury; the Civil Commissioner Baghdad; Sir Percy Zachariah Cox; and Harry St John Bridger Philby.

The file includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (202 folios)
Arrangement

The subject 4931 (Arabia [Nejd]: Bin Saud's subsidy. Payment of subsidy authorised on 1 Jan. 1917. Question of incidence. Payments made without Treasury authority) consists of one volume.

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 202; these numbers are written in pencil, 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 59-178; these numbers are written in crayon.

The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the two leading and ending flyleaves.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

File 4931/1916 'Arabia [Nejd]: Bin Saud's subsidy. Payment of subsidy authorised on 1 Jan. 1917. Question of incidence. Payments made without Treasury authority' [‎53v] (115/418), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/635, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100059364058.0x000074> [accessed 28 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100059364058.0x000074">File 4931/1916 'Arabia [Nejd]: Bin Saud's subsidy. Payment of subsidy authorised on 1 Jan. 1917. Question of incidence. Payments made without Treasury authority' [&lrm;53v] (115/418)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100059364058.0x000074">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x000212/IOR_L_PS_10_635_0115.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x000212/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image