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'File XXV/3 Arabian Politics (including Iraq). Arab Revolt in the Hejaz against the Turks, 1916' [‎241r] (481/490)

The record is made up of 1 file (243 folios). It was created in 24 Jun 1916-17 Jun 1926. 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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3
Dependencies. The ceremony, which took place in Mecca, came as a surprise to
many of the Hejaz people themselves, and was, according to reports, forced upon
Ibn Sand, not against his will, perhaps, by the Hejaz notables, as they realised that
should he hand the government of the Hejaz over to the Hejazis themselves or to
some Moslem delegation or council, nothing but internecine strife and contentions
would be their lot for months and even years to come, as they would be open to the
intrigues of the Ashraf and many other sections of the public.
Therefore, in order to guarantee the safety of the Haramain and the roads
leading thereto, in order that Moslems could perform their religious duties in
security, and, further, in order to secure peace and prosperity to their country,
they begged Ibn Saud to accept the kingship.
This Ibn Saud did but declared that the Hejaz was for the Hejazis, and that, in
accordance with their wishes, he would assume the title of King and assure the
safety of the Holy Places and roads, but that the affairs of Nejd and the Hejaz would
be kept strictly separate.
14. On the 22nd instant, Ibn Saud, just prior to observing a self-inflicted
fast, on account of not having fasted the year previous owing to the war, invited the
representatives of the various Powers, the European residents and the notables of
Jeddah to a banquet.
After the dinner Abdullah Bey read a speech of welcome, after which the Sultan
addressed the assembled company in the following sense :—
“It is a great pleasure to me to have the opportunity of informing my
honoured guests, and particularly the foreign representatives, of my thoughts
and desires for this holy territory, and which merits our best efforts to secure
its peace and prosperity. I shall devote the whole of my energies to that end.
I am aw 7 are of the great achievements of the western world and I do not despise
them. I feel that the western world owes much to the Arabs, who have, in
recent years, lost their position in the world because they strayed from the
right paths set by their ancestors, but I am going to devote my energies to
bring them back to tho.se paths of righteousness and truth which alone lead to
great achievements.
“We have our obligations to the honourable foreign Governments, by which
we will stand, and they have their obligations towards us. Moslems are
brothers throughout the world, and we stand as such, and we ask the foreign
Governments to facilitate the passage of pilgrims to the Holy Places. And
there are obligations greater even than this, and that is, that Arabs and Moslems
should be treated with consideration and their interests protected as the
foreigners are treated in this Holy Land.
“ I know that the heart of an Arab and Moslem is good soil, and if it is
watered with kindly consideration it will produce good crops, i.e., affection.
Therefore, I beg that the honourable foreign Governments will not gainsay the
legitimate rights of the Moslems in their respective countries. In conclusion, I
pray God our actions may be greater than our words.”
15. His Majesty has, during the course of several conversations I have had
with him, raised the question of slavery, and is, in fact, manifesting a desire to
find some way of abolishing this barbarous practice in the territories under his
control. What the eventual results will be is not yet manifest.
16. During the period under report, orders have been secured for British
firms for the supply of a condenser, two motor-cars and 5,000 tons of coal. It is
hoped to secure further orders for boats, electric lighting plants, and the supply of
an amount of small coinage to replace the small coins of many denominations and
nationalities at present in circulation.
There is also in the course of formation a Moslem company to run a service of
motor-cars between Jeddah and Mecca. This company, which will be composed
purely of Moslems, are desirous of having the service running before the full
pilgrimage in May-June next, but, owing to the slowness of the various administra
tions and the consequent delay in getting the concession, it is doubtful whether it
will be possible.
17. I understand that Mr. Philby, who is still in Jeddah, is endeavouring to
secure the oil concessions at Dibba, and, if so, will be returning to England to
attempt to raise the necessary capital for the exploration of these fields.
18. Tw t o Indian deputations have been present in Jeddah during the period,
(1) the Khilafat delegation as partisans of Ibn Saud, and (2) the Khudam-ul-

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Content

This file contains correspondence and reports related to the British Government's response to the announcement of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 1916 (folios 2-14) and to political-military developments in the Hejaz between 1924 and 1926, notably the conquest of Jeddah and the fall of the Hashemite Kingdom of the Hejaz (folios 15-244).

The majority of the correspondence in the file is between British officials, but it also contains a limited amount of correspondence between European diplomatic staff in Jeddah and the Ruler of Nejd, Ibn Saud (‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd).

Much of the section of the file that concerns the Hejaz consists of detailed situation reports that were sent to British diplomatic posts (including the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Muscat by Britain's Agent and Consul in Jeddah, Reader William Bullard (followed by Stanley R Jordan between December 1924 and February 1926).

In addition, the file contains the following documents:

  • 'Notes regarding Policy to be adopted in connection with the revolt of the Sherif of Mecca' (folios 10-11)
  • 'Aims of the Indian Caliphate Committee as given to the Foreign Secretary to the Hejaz Government by the Delegation, in writing about January 13th 1925' (folios 57-58)
  • 'Minutes of a Conference held at the Colonial Office on the 12th of March, 1926, to discuss matters arising out of Sir Gilbert Clayton's report on his Mission to Ibn Saud' (folios 233-235).
Extent and format
1 file (243 folios)
Arrangement

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

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 245; 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 2-12; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'File XXV/3 Arabian Politics (including Iraq). Arab Revolt in the Hejaz against the Turks, 1916' [‎241r] (481/490), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/6/32, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061352382.0x000052> [accessed 17 April 2024]

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