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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎292r] (588/1062)

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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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5
(ii) From what I could gather, he is quite satisfied on the bona fide nature
of the information given him by his agent, but the latter seems to be playing a
most dangerous game, as he is known to he in very close touch with both Garad
and Tin ah, two of the best known dealers, and who were the men named by
Sir Sidney Baiton as having airanged for this convoy of 70 to be brought
down.
The information states that the Slaves, all boys and girls, are kept more
or less openly outside Tad jura, and employed as goat-herds until their sale
has been negotiated.
There are two routes for shipment, one at Ambaba near Tadjura, and the
other in the neighbourhood of lias Dumeira, inside the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb.
Mr. Lowe, at my request, is trying to ascertain the exact whereabouts of this
last position, which is of considerable interest to the sloops.
He had recently made an excursion to Tadjura in a motor boat, in company
with a member of the Legation staff from Addis Ababa, and came hack with the
impression that the existence of the traffic in slaves was well known to the French
authorities.
(in) A good deal of interesting information had reached Mr. Lowe from one
of the French District Officers on the Abyssinian frontier.
This officer realises how little authority his Government have in the interior,
and is very anxious to import some Senegalese troops, and then by means of
bribery to set the Dankali chiefs quarrelling amongst themselves. Once this
was done, fbe troops could quickly subjugate the tribes one by one. At present,
however, they are all in league with one another, content to share the profits
of the slave and arms traffic, and remain united in the face of the indifferent
opposition of the French native troops at present in the Colony.
M. Chappon-Baissac is reported to have refused to listen to any such sug
gestion.
(iv) From the same source Mr. Lowe leareed that a large trade is now
going on in women from the interior, who are brought down to Djibouti by train,
one at a time, as the wives ” of their companions.
The District Officer has come to know of this, and proposed to institute a
train inspection on the frontier, with verification of papers, which would have
put a stop to the traffic.
This proposal, also, is said to have been rejected by the Governor, and,
further, on one occasion, when the District Officer was about to search a parti
cular train, urgent orders were received that the search was not to take place.
(v) As an illustration of the small control exercised by the French,, it
appears that quite recently the Commissioner at Tadjura obtained permission
•to build himself a house on a plateau in the mountains, where there is a water
fall, and a reasonably pleasant climate. Accordingly he selected a spot for the
Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , marked it off, and was commencing to have it cleared. Immediately
the work was* commenced, he was approached by two of the Danakil Chiefs,
who explained that they had raised no objection to his looking at the place, but
they could not dream of allowing him to live there. In consequence the residence
in the hills has had to be given up.
(vi) The native informer reports that the notorious Sheik Issa, who is so
often at Perim, is now employed as an intelligence agert only, and lets the
slavers know when the coast Is clear for them. He is said to do this by means
of fires on the shore.
The last report from Aden about this man is that he is now hut a peaceful
trader in camels. As he is known to he wanted by the Italians foi muider, i
seems a pity he cannot be arrested, and handed over to them.
(vii) Major Cheesman was with me, during most of my conversations with
Mr. Lowe, aud was ohviouslv verv surprised to hear of the ramifica 1011 s of the
trade. There is no doubt that Mr. Lowe himself was very astonished at the
information that reached him, and it was this fact that imp]esse ine moie . :ian
anything, as in previous conversations he had been somewia • sctp ica
extent of the traffic.
Pin) One other point is worthy of remark, ^ "ative agent went so
far as to offer to negotiate the saie of two or three o i^se " ' , .
himself, if he could arrange a boat to fetch them away, and went on t P sa) that
Lc70ED

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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.' [‎292r] (588/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2071, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061765165.0x0000bd> [accessed 24 April 2024]

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