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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎238r] (480/1062)

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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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29
4. The Amir Feysal honoured my wife and me with his company at
dinner last evening. As I am temporarily doyen of the foreign representa
Uves, we took the opportunity of asking all of Lm oocupying^iplomatic or
career consular posts to meet him. All accepted save my French colleague
who was souffrant —sutfermg, I believe fnd trust, from nothing worse
than a growing agoraphobia. The dinner was something of a novelty in
the official life of Jedda. It passed off successfully, even though its lead
ing feature was decorum rather than brilliancy. Mis Royal Highness was
as frail looking and listless as usual and he has little conversation for such
occasions. He bore himself, however, with grace and dignity and seemed
languid y P cased. At the small reception which followed, he took a hand
at Corinthian bagatelle, recognising, I hope, that it is more a game of skill
than of chance and therefore not forbidden by Islamic law.
5. The representatives are to be entertained at dinner this evening at
the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The Amir is to be present but the dinner
is being given by Fuad Bey. The latter was flattering enough to ask my
cook, without reference to my wife or me, to do the dinner for him. The
somewhat delicate direct negotiations between them broke down.
i
(23)
(Received on 21st February 1932, with Political Secretary's letter No. P. Z.-5 f
dated Mh February 1932.)
Enclosure in Foreign Office covering letter No. E.-395-395/25, dated 1st
! February 1932. <
Despatch from H. M.’s Minister, Jedda to the Foreign Office, No. 14,
DATED THE 12TH JANUARY 1932.
In my despatch No. 13 of January 12th 1931 (on F. No. 4-N./31), I
had the honour to describe the celebration a year ago of Ibn Sa’ud’s acces
sion to the throne of the Hejaz. In reports on the general situation sent
later on in the vear 1 referred to the remonstrance addressed by the Ulama of
Nejd to His Majesty regarding the impropriety of such annual celebrations
and the King’s reply deferring to their judgment. The publicity given to
this correspondence in the “Umm-al-Qura” newspaper of June 26th was
the most striking of various indications at that time of Ibn Sa’ud’s desire
to placate extreme Wahhabi opinion. It was arguable that it was merely
a political move made in view of his impending departure for Nejd and the
importance of rallying loyal sentiment then at a time of trouble in the
Hejaz. '
2. The King has not quite lived up to his professions to the Ulama, for
his accession was again celebrated this year on January 8th. The final
decision apparently was to hold no celebration in Mecca as being a religious
centre and to curtail the ceremonial in Jedda. In the latter place the
school children were as before well coached in their singing. On the morn
ing of the day they sang through the town accompanied by the motley proces
sion of loyal maiiifestants. The Governor of Jedda, held a reception for
the foreign representatives in the forenoon. In the afternoon we and
others were bidden to a tea-party at the Green Palace, organized by e
local celebration Committee and attended bv the Amir Fevsal who arrived
from Mecca shortlv before the party. Thus the annual celebration was
definitely repeated/although there was neither review nor dinner-party and
we were spared the picnic at Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Fatima, next day.,

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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.' [‎238r] (480/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2071, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061765165.0x000051> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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