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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎356r] (716/1062)

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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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134
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Commissioner for Iraq, regarding the attitude adopted by King Faisal in regard
to the Nejd rebellion.
2. It is regretted that owing to an oversight a copy of this despatch was not
forwarded to yon at an earlier date.
3. Similar letters are being addressed to the Foreign Office and Air
Ministry.
Enclosure.
Despatch Secret B, from the Acting High Commissioner for Iraq, to Colonial
Office, dated the 21st October, 1929.
I have the honour to refer to Your Lordship’s telegram No. 313, dated the
16th of October, 1929, in which Your Lordship invites my observations on des
patches Nos. 546 and 549, dated the 24th and 26th of September, 1929, respec
tively, from 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. at Kuwait.
2. I have already in my telegram No. 350 (No. 90|S. to Bushire), dated the
5th of October, 1929, given an indication of the attitude adopted by His Majesty
King Faisal in regard to the Nejd rebellion. His Majesty makes no secret of
his sympathy for the rebels, who, he thinks, are certain to succeed in overthrow
ing King Ibn Sa’ud’s rule in the near future. King Faisal maintains that in
his opinion His Britannic Majesty’s Government are making a profound mis
take in attempting to bolster up King Ibn Sa’ud’s tottering throne, not merely
because its collapse is inevitable, but because the continued rule of King Ibn
Sa’ud over central Arabia based as it is on constant military aggression is
contrary to the interest of ’Iraq and 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 so to the interests of His
Britannic Majesty’s Government.
3. In these circumstances it is impossible to expect that a man of King
Faisal’s character could refrain from taking more than an academic interest
in the fortunes of the rebel Akhwan. There is no doubt in my mind that he
has been sending agents to the rebels with messages of encouragement and in
some cases with "material assistance in the form of cash—though such assistance
is ostensibly provided, no doubt, by the refugees from the rebel tribes now in
’Iraq. I have no doubt moreover that one of the reasons for the visit of the
Amir Abdullah to Baghdad was the desire of the two brothers to discuss how
the fall of King Ibn Sa’ud might be hastened and how it might be subsequently
used to the best advantage.
4. As regards the report that arrangements have been made for a general
move southwards of the ’Iraq Shammar with the object of recovering Hail for
the Ibn Rashid family, it is a fact that the ’Iraq Shamar are moving southward
from the northern Jazirah into the Hillah and Diwamyah Liwas. This south
ward move of the Shammar is however not unusual when grazmg is scarce m
the northern Jazirah. Similar migrations took place m 1923, 1925 and 192».
The presence of the Shammar (more especially of the Shammar Abda who are
refugees from Najd) in the southern Liwas has m former years been a source
of anxiety to the ’Iraq Government in view of possible disturbances on the Naj
frontier, md consequently measures have been taken to keep these southward
migrations of the tribe under close control. No sectmn for example, is per
mitted to cross the Euphrates into the Shamiyah. I consider it likely that this
southward move of the Shammar has been used for propaganda purposes }
those who are seeking to encourage the rebels and has been represented as evid-
ence of Traq’is intention to assist them.
5 On the other hand if the rebels are successful and the armies of King
Ibn Sa’ud are routed a King Faisal expects, it is certain that the Shammar
Abda’ wm throw in their lot with the M and .f
share they can f ^^ e \“;; ee teltTaf b^en leaclTed ShaSTlqab
them. How far a der ~ , Waisnl al I lavish, under the auspices of
ihn Ajil of the Shammar Abda and t .mmar in the event of a rebel
King Faisal, for Hail to be handed over to the 8^™^ eve^ '
3avar&?feK «*•* 1 - * -r*- *
an agreement of this nature did exist.

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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.' [‎356r] (716/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2071, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061765166.0x000075> [accessed 24 April 2024]

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