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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎147r] (298/1062)

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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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\
CONFIDENTIAL.
( 1 )
fp ■ '/"l
S 3893 I
934 1
- (Received on 13th January 1934, ivith Political Secretary’s letter No. 52 'dated
0 28th December 1933.)
Lettek feom the Admiralty, 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. , No. M.-03685|33:, dated the 22nd
December 1934.
I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit,
for the information of the Secretary of State for India in Council, extracts from
a report of proceedings of H. M. S. Penzance, covering the period 10th—30th
November, 1933.
A copy has been sent to the Foreign Office.
Enclosure to Serial No. (1),
Extracts.
Jedda.
i
8. The approach to Jedda was made without difficulty and the ship anchored
in the Inner Anchorage at 1100 on 18th November. The flag of the country was
saluted with 21 guns, which was returned promptly by the shore Battery.
9. Colonel Hamdi Bey called and presented the compliments of the country.
This officer fought in the Great War as a Lieutenant in the Turkish Army, and
is now the Director of Military Training for the whole Kingdom of Sa’udi-
Arabia. Though pleasant personally, it is difficult to imagine that he fills this
important post with much zeal or ability. His predecessor, a more efficient
German-trained officer, was dismissed for corruption.
10. In the afternoon the Commanding Officer, accompanied by Mr. B. W.
Seager (British pro-Consul) called on Sheikh ’Ali Taha and Sheikh ’Ali A1
Amari, respectively the Acting and Assistant Governors of Jedda in the absence
of Sheikh Abdul Aziz ibn Mu’Ammar, who was engaged at Mecca in a matri
monial venture.
’Ali Taha is a Hedjazi who has spent 25 years in Civil Service, firstly
under the Turks, then under the Hashimite dynasty, and! finally under the
present Wahabbi regime. His colleague is a Nedji.
The call of Colonel Hamdi Bey was then returned at the ^-Turkish barracks
at the outskirts of the town. The building appeared to be scarcely occupied ,
2 armoured cars were observed in the central courtyard, but were evidently m a
state of complete neglect.
11. The two Governors returned the Commanding Officer’s call on Monday,
20th November, and were accorded a salute of 13 guns on their departure.
Accompanied by the Maypr of Jedda (Sheikh Ali Salami) and Mr. Seager
they lunched with the Commanding Officer on 22nd November.
12. Mr. K. S. Twitchell, the American Mining engineer, was. m Jedda,
having recently returned from El Hasa, where he had been assisting e
Standard Oil Company of California in their prospecting operations whicli
terminated in the grant of an oil concession by the Sau dian. ■
Mr. Twitched made the journey across Arabia by car and lorry m ^jen da. s,
and since Mr. Philby has now embraced Islam, it is probable that he is the only
living Christian who has performed this feat.
13. As recently foreshadowed elsewhere, the affairs of Mr H ^ b.y'X
and his Sharqieh Company are by no means flourishing, and it seem, tat ^
terms of his concession for the importation of Ford cais ai tourney to
m-oving financially unsound. Mr. Philby himself was on a business journey
14. It is understood that the large Soriet Legation which hMds^tself much
aloof from the European community, does little business, and P^J * ^ the
to the pilgrims from Eussian territory. Tins maj p^ . o
official anti-God policy of the Sonet, and m this ^ , dealing with the
this attitude proves a definite commercial han ic p f |] y re p 0 .| 011S basis.
Wahabi;] Kingdom, founded as it, is so largely on a fanatically .eiyou
The same disability operates also in the Yemen. ^ ^
Lc49FD
INDIA F.MEK3N oF r
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Letter
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Dated z-O
No
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F?9
MAY. 1934
M.

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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.' [‎147r] (298/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2071, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061765164.0x000063> [accessed 14 May 2024]

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