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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎46r] (96/1062)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (527 folios). It was created in 6 Jan 1929-15 Jan 1938. 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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Letter from H. M. s Minister, Jedda, to the Foreign Office No 146
dated 17th May 1936. ’ ’ ! n
Pi
to su I bmTt y a e su g m r marv°of 6 ?h 0 / ^ 13t t h May (S ' ^ 1 ^ honour
u buomit a summary ot the account given me by Sheikh Yusuf Yasic of
the visit of my Italian colleague to Ibn Saud’s camp at Ashaira on the ?0th
: ay and of what passed between M. Persico and the King. I do not think
i necessary to send you a full record of my conversation with Sheikh Yusuf
ut I may supplement my telegram by mentioning three points of some
importance which I omitted from it, as follows
(a) My Italian colleague, according to Sheikh Yusuf, began his
statement to the King by thanking him for having observed
neutrality m the Italo-Abyssinian war and for not having
taken part m sanctions. The King replied that he had
adopted his attitude for the sake of friendship with all con
cerned.
(&) M, Persico stressed the friendly dispositions of his Government
towards the Arab nations and their readiness to give any
required assurances in this respect.
(c) At the end of the private conversation, in which the sheikh en
gaged me after he had carried cut his instructions to inform
me of what had passed at Ashaira, he threw out a question
regarding reports that His Majesty’s Government might with
draw from the League of Nations and regarding the conse
quences of such a step, if it were taken.
2. I did not comment on (a) or (b) above. As regards (c), I took the
general line that I knew of no pronouncement by any responsible person
which could lend support to the reports in question; that many people, it
was true, thought that the League should be reorganised to make it more
useful; but that, whatever happened (and no one could foresee what would
happen), it would astonish me greatly, if Great Britain abandoned or des
paired of the League. 1 adduced various considerations in support of my
opinion, making it clear, of course, that I was only expressing my private
views as between two friends, in accordance with Sheikh Yusuf’s request.
3. Mr. Philby, who was at Ashaira during M. Persico’s visit, spent the
evening at my house on the 13th May. His account of the audience, based
on what he had heard from his friends, and possibly from the King himself,
was generally similar to that given me by Sheikh Yusuf, though not so
complete and more loosely put together. Fie was even more outspoken than
the sheikh about the perturbation caused in the King’s mind by the outcome
of the Italo-Abyssinian war. The reason for the King’s reaction was, he
said, his concern for British prestige. I could not get him to say definitely
why the maintenance of that prestige should interest the King so greatly,
but the implications of his language were clearly these: Keliance on Great
Britain was the corner-stone of Ibn Saud’s policy. Great Britain had
failed to oppose a successful resistance to Italy m the case of Abyssinia
and had in fact, let that country down. How, then could the King have
confidence in the will or ability of His Majesty s Government to resist
Italian ambitions in the Red Sea? Like Sheikh Yusuf Mr P hll by s poke
mrticularlv of the Y r emen, saying that, when referring to the intended
negotiations between Italy and the Yemen, my Italian colleague had spoken
of a "strengthening” of the relations between the two countries.
4 Mr Philby is as you are aware, not in the innermost secrets of Ibn
SautL and his language is very apt to be coloured ^ ^l^MaVTaUhfuUy
Nevertheless, I think that what he told me o^^
represents Ibn Saud s present outloo_ ompre i 1 ension of them, much less
889(8) F<kPD
Ju.

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Content

This volume compiles printed copies of letters, telegrams, memoranda and newspaper extracts relating to Britain's involvement across the Arabian Peninsula during the period 1929-1938. Whilst the correspondence encompasses all matters concerning British interests in the region, much of it relates to Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] and the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia). Matters discussed in the correspondence include the following:

  • Reports of unrest in the Hejaz.
  • Relations between Imam Yeha Hamid-Ud-Din [Yaḥyá Muḥammad Ḥamīd al-Dīn, Imam of Yemen] and Ibn Saud.
  • Reports of raids and arms trafficking on the Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan -Nejd frontier.
  • Reports of the proceedings of British naval ships in the Red Sea.
  • Details of the Akhwan [Ikhwan] revolt against Ibn Saud, including the movements of one of the revolt's leaders, Faisal Dawish [Fayṣal bin Sulṭān al-Dawīsh], and his surrender to the British in Kuwait.
  • Relations between Kuwait and Nejd.
  • Relations between Iraq and Nejd, including a proposed meeting between Ibn Saud and King Faisal [Fayṣal] of Iraq, and reports of a treaty of alliance between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
  • Objections from the Hejaz Government to Royal Air Force aircraft flying over Nejd territory.
  • The purchase of arms by the Hejaz Government from Poland.
  • Ibn Saud's annexation of Asir.
  • The death of King Hussein [Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī].
  • Harry St John Bridger Philby's conversion to Islam, his mapping of Rub-al-Khali, and his reported spreading of Saudi propaganda in the Aden Protectorate.
  • The currency exchange crisis in the Hejaz-Nejd and the financial situation in the kingdom generally.
  • Reports on a survey of the water and mineral content of the Hejaz coastal area.
  • Relations between Soviet Russia and Saudi Arabia.
  • The emigration of Jews from Yemen to Palestine, via Aden.
  • British fears that Italy might harbour ambitions to annex Yemen.
  • Saudi oil concessions.
  • Italian-Saudi relations.

Prominent correspondents include the following: the British Agent (later His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires) at Jeddah; His Majesty's Minister at Jeddah; the High Commissioner for Egypt; the High Commissioner for Iraq; the High Commissioner for Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan ; the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kuwait; 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. (later Chief Commissioner, and later still, Governor), Aden; 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; His Majesty's Ambassador to Iraq; His Majesty's Ambassador to Italy; the Secretary of State for the Colonies; the Minister (and Acting Minister) for Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia); Ibn Saud; King Feisal of Iraq; the Prime Minister of Iraq; various officials of the Colonial Office, the Foreign Office, the Air Ministry, and the Admiralty.

The French material in the volume consists of several items of correspondence and a copy of a treaty between France and Yemen, which was signed in April 1936.

The volume includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (527 folios)
Arrangement

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

The items of correspondence are divided (roughly) into various sections. Each extract or item of correspondence within these sections has its own number, which is enclosed in brackets. These numbers proceed in ascending (and approximate chronological) order from left to right; however, the sections themselves proceed in reverse, from the rear to the front of the volume, in distinct groups (e.g. for 1929 numbers 1-23, which are located at folios 517-526, are followed by numbers 24-49 at folios 509-516, which are then followed by numbers 50-89 at folios 494-508, and so on).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 529; 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.

Pagination: each section of correspondence within the volume (as described in the arrangement field) has its own pagination sequence.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎46r] (96/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2071, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061765163.0x000061> [accessed 19 April 2024]

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