Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎183v] (371/1062)

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(Received on 17th September 1932, with Political Secretary’s letter No. 35
dated 1 st September 1932.)
P.Z.-5208|32.
Despatch from His Majesty’s Minister, Jedda, to the Foreign Office, London
No. 294, dated the 9th July 1932.
In my despatch No. 250 of the 17th June [Serial No. (90)] I reported on a
speech by Ibn Saud, which revealed his attitude towards the townspeople of
the Hejaz, and in my despatch No. 258 of the 21st June [Serial No. (96)] I
dealt with various matters bearing on the uneasy internal situation in this
country. This reflection in the public mind of this uneasiness has been greatly
stimulated by the somewhat drastic proceedings of the police and the Govern
ment during the last couple of weeks.
2. It is stated that on the night of the 25th June the Director
of Police of Mecca, a powerful and arbitrary official, created no small emotion
by posting armed men all over the town, with the ostensible object, it appeared
afterwards, of merely raiding a house where country wine was supposed to be
made, and in which four tins of wine were actually found.
3. The same report reproduces a story for which I should be sorry to vouch,
and quote only as an example of the sort of gossip that goes about in an excited
and fearful atmosphere. It is said that the King sent back some soldiers who had
come from Khurma to Taif, and that the Amir Khalid-bin-Lowai had
explained that His Majesty did not require them, that the English would bring
Ibn Rifada to Taif for delivery to the King, who would strike off his head, and
that the English had further promised to turn the “ dirty pig ” Abdullah out
of 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 and send him to Iraq.
4. More importance attaches to certain police proceedings in Jedda on the
night of the 28th June, when a large number of residents were arrested. Some
of them were released at once, some others within a few days ; but several were
sent to the interior. I need not quote the rumours on this" subject, as the Gov
ernment took the unusual course of publishing a communique in the “ Umm-al-
Qura ” of the 1st July. I enclose a translation of this document, minus the
pious exordium which explains that this holy land is a place for prayer and
work, not for propaganda.
5. It is interesting to note that the avowed object of the raid in Jedda was
to discourage the circulation of rumours, a subject on which I have had conver
sations with Sheikh Yusuf Yasin, in circumstances described in the correspond
ence arising out of the Ibn Rifada affair. One of the persons deported to the
interior is a well-known Hadhrami sheikh. I believe him to be entitled to
Butish protection and am keeping his case in mind, although I do not feel that
1 can prudently intervene on his behalf at the present moment.
t execution in Jedda on the 1st July of a murderer, a man of
the Junema tribe, has also created an impression, though, apart from the
barbanty ’with which it was carried out and the fact that the man had excited,
interest some weeks before by escaping from prison, this incident need not call
or much comment at a normal time. The man seems to have richly deserved
his fate.
, T*-P . was T r ®P or ^ e ^ end of June that the playing of football had been
prohibited. It is not clear that any formal prohibition was enacted, but there
was a strong belief in interested circles that persons who continued to plhy
r f>, e a .^ r ® s y e( ^- feeling against, football in high quarters is due to a
e ie a 1 rings young men together in clubs and affords an opportunity for
subversive talk. There is probably some foundation for this belief.
+ , emerges from all this is that the authorities are nervous at the
,, P n 10 ee an d have taken action which aims as much at intimidating
* aS T at J epre m? ng P artica]ar activities. The former object has
been achieved m Jedda. The people hardly dare to talk and are shy of
t+^* ^. r v ei ; ch , co l liea ^ e goes so far as to speak of “ une terreur
of ay, ™ ^ intensified by the appointment as head of police
KnrrH \T °^ lal who } eld a similar., post at Rabigh. This man, Sved
^ bp f.H b f iev . ed to e °me from Ras-al-Ain, near Aleppo. The town is said
f r;. ? f s P ies - E ™i the innocent-looking and in itself legitimate census
excites mistrust. Apart from the common oriental fear that it is a prelude to
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