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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎60r] (124/1062)

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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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t i of many reasons as having perhaps prompted
Sheykh Yusuf s letter, though I hesitate to give greater weight to one
rather than to another Sheykh Yusuf is inclined to embark on little
schemes of his own m the hope, probably, of making some small coup and
winning credit thereby. Then the Italian experiment has come to the end
oi the first stage and it may be that the Italians are either reluctant to
continue because of the poor equality of the students, or will not ^o on
with it unless they receive some proof of Saudi friendship which Ibn^Saud
is reluctant to supply. (In this connection I may mention that the
“Saut-ul-Hejaz” of October 20th, published for the first time pieces of
Italian propaganda taken from one of the Arabic newspapers distributed
in Jedda by the Italian Legation). Or it may be that the relative success
attained by the Iraq Air Force under British tuition has attracted Saudi
attention : indeed, the commandant of the Saudi forces at Jedda recently
praised the Iraq Air Force very highly in conversation with a member of
the staff of the Legation . Or perhaps Sheykh Yusuf is courting a refusal
so that we may be stopped from criticising Italian penetration in Saudi
military affairs,
5. Whatever the motives behind the request, I do not suppose that it
will appeal to His Majesty’s Government. It is unlikely that Saudi
Arabia could produce five, still less ten to fifteen, young men every year
who would make competent air pilots. It is possible that a few young
men of good Nejdi origin could be found who, if they were put through
a long complete course, would make creditable pilots, but I much doubt
whether Saudi Arabia will be able for many years to come to provide men
for a considerable air force, particularly the mechanics and other skilled
artisans who would be required. I fear that the Saudi authorities are
inclined to regard an airforce as chiefly a matter of pilots, and aeroplanes
as being rather like gramophones whose handles anyone can be taught to
turn.
R T notice that in the conversation which the Air Officer Commanding,
MidSe East had with Fuad Bey Hamza on the 23rd April (reported m a
, . . tn |i. 0 a i r Ministry of which a copy was sent to Jedda in
Foreign Office defpat* No. 130, dated the 14th May), he suggested tha.t
The Saudi Government should send some young men to England or Egypt
the feaum urove . If Saudis are to be trained for aviation
t0 A thp^uisoices of His Majesty’s Government, I suggest that it would
under the ausp should take place in Egypt or Iraq, if this is
he jt would be cheaper for the Saudis and m particular
possible, both because i nbicct if required to reach standards
because the students co^d _t^ } doubt wh ^ t her any arrangement that
attained by other Mosie , - f t v Saudis would expect His
could be concluded b e ^ factory An East India Company trading post. ^ xne ^ ^ ^
Majesty’s Government ^ “reed to pay for them the pay-
probably to keep them ’ rrears and tb f s Legation would have to dun
ments would always be ^ or it likely that the students when
the Minister for Foreign Affairs, ^ Majesty^ Government and any
Sash'S?*
S “ d ' Since to ”> '““O 1 1 "* toived, wpy pf the
to the “Vie deir , Ar ^ .n ar welf7 for training in aviation. This
fifty more students to Italy fr0 ® ^ is ] get fort h i n paragraph 4 above,
inclines me towards the last hyp 1ir ,willinelv to the arrangement by
Ibn Saud may be commltted ’ h g P t rained in Italy aAd may wish to protect
which Saudi airmen are to be trained t Z ^king a proposal which
Sf-gairjrssw >*-w* • “
889(81 F&PD

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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.' [‎60r] (124/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2071, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061765163.0x00007d> [accessed 9 June 2026]

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