File 3665/1924 Pt 1 ‘Arabia:- Situation 1924; Wahabi attack on Hedjaz. Capture of Taif & defeat of Hedjaz Army. Abdication of King Hussein.’ [‎84v] (177/852)

9. If the external menace Is removed and the Hedjaz
Ali the Dilsrim will continue to be fleeced, but rather to satisfy ’ -
mlsrim Guides and the Bedouin than to fill the treasury; on the whole, he may ga n
rlftXffnancLny In matters other than financial there m
ment; e.g., the stupid practice of imposing quarantine at ^^11 °n pi g
have already been quarantined at Kamaran was due s0 \fy ^^ n | t o
ar-rl mav heVnected to oass away with him, and no futuie brovernment is i^eiy to ^
prevent^forelgn^Hpping^rms /rom effecting at therr own expense^uch valuable
improvements as erecting lighthouses a ' ll , J ^ n 1 : f ° 1 ? p nvPrmn ent nrovided
Politically, the change may he of advantage to His Majesty s Gove > P
that the new regime is not so weak as to leave pilgrims worse off than m King
Hussein’s reign. Ali is probably less displeasing to the Moslem woi IF 1 ^
father, and his attitude towards the Caliphate, viz., that ® Cal !p f hate
the Moslem world, is conciliatory. This repudiation of King Husse P th
policy wa s one of the conditions on which Ah was offered the throne. I wo otners
vereVat he should be a constitutional ruler, h e shoMd be Km g of t he
Hediaz only i.e. that he should disinterest himself in other Arab countries it may
well 3 be doubted’whether anything approaching constitutional Kovernment can
established in the Hedjaz, but to cease to be a nuisance to the “ a “ d . at ° r y
are responsible for Palestine, Irak and Syria should be easy. It will be all the easie
for the P flight from Mecca of certain Palestinian and Syrian extremists who have
fled to their countries of origin, where they will be safe under the protectio
mandatory Powers they have so often cursed. .
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Hedjaz Notables to Consul Bullard.
(Translation ) October 3, 1924.
WE beg to inform your Excellency that, in view of the present state of the
country, due to continued mistakes of policy and administration, the fact that danger
is surrounding us on every side and the proved impotence of the Central Government,
the whole Hediaz people agreed to request King Hussein to abdicate his position.
It would then have been possible to take the necessary steps, and enter into communi
cation with those concerned, for the safety of the country and ending the slaugh er
of innocent victims. King Hussein, however, is opposed to abdication and has not
acceded to our request many times repeated. We therefore ha\e to inform you a
he is personally responsible for whatever may befall the country and its inhabitants
Nevertheless, the rights of humanity demand intervention to safeguard the nves ot
the innocent and the conclusion of an agreement with the Emir Ibn Sand which wi
protect both life and property.
With respects. . .. ,
The delegates of the entire Hedjaz people :
SUL AIM AN KABIL.
MUHAMMAD TAWIL.
ABDULLAH ALI PEZA.
SALEH-BIN-ABU BAKE SHAT A.
FATEH-BIN-SULT AN.
MUHAMMAD ALAVI.
BAKPI KAZZAZ.
Enclosure 3 in No. 1.
Hedjaz Notables to Consul Bullard.
(Translation.) 0ctoher 3 > 1924 '
IN continuation of our letter No. 1 of to-day’s date, we have the honour to
inform you that the last communications exchanged with King Hussein are as
follows :—'
“ His Majesty King Hussein, Mecca. . . .
“ The situation is very grave and there is no time for negotiations. It you
will not abdicate in favour of the Amir Ali, we yet beg, in the name of humanity
that your Majestv will abdicate so as to allow the nation to form a provisional