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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎366r] (736/1062)

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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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a, revolving fan supplemented the simple slave-driven variety, the relief
was general when we again adjourned to the roof, where, after half an hour
of further conversation and light refreshment, we took leave.
5. I was distinctly impressed by the personality of the Prince. Tall
and slender, he resembles his father cast in a finer, if less imposing, mould.
His features are well marked and he conceals his eye trouble behind
glasses, and he has a most engaging smile. In his conversation he showed
great vivacity. He confined it almost entirely to the Soviet Minister and
myself. As M. Turakouloff speaks both Turkish and stumbling Arabic,
he was able to converse direct, and was good enough to act to some extent
as interpreter between the Emir and me. At the outset of the conversa
tion before dinner the Emir plunged into a glorification of Islam, which
my Russian colleague echoed with contributions of his own. After dinner
His Highness reverted to the subject, and said how mistaken it was to
suppose that Islam was incompatible with civilisation. Eager to be polite
without any approach to the profession of an alien faith, I said that,
indeed, there should be no conflict. I related how I myself, going to church
in Hampstead one Sunday morning in a tramcar, otherwise empty except
for the driver and the conductor, had heard one of them say to the other :
“ What do we want with . . . religions now we’re civilised ?” and
how much more civilised I had felt myself to be than the speaker. It gave
me some satisfaction to have this simple tale translated by the represen
tative of Soviet Russia, although I had to omit the epithet preceding “ re
ligions. ’ ’
6. On the 27th May the Prince sent two persons, the Assistant
Governor and the officer commanding the garrison, to return the visit
which I had paid him.
7. The Emir was expected to say here a few days, but he changed
all his plans and returned to Mecca on the evening of the 27th May. I
hear from a confidential source that his recall was due to the arrival of
news of some trouble in Nejd. I cannot vouch for tills information, but as
it was the Prince’s first visit to Jedda since 1926 there must have been
some important reason for his sudden departure.
8. As my main object in writing this despatch is to provide a full
record for future reference of ceremonial now observed here, I may men
tion that, in addition to calling officially on the other foreign representa
tives after I had presented my credentials, I also called on the Governor
of Jedda, as being the chief local authority in what is becoming the diplo
matic capital.
(56)
{Received on 10th August 1930, with Political Secretary’s letter No. 30,
dated the 24th July 1930.)
Letter from the Foreign Minister to the Iraq Government, to the
High Commissioner for Iraq, Ho. 1789, dated the 51 11th June
1930. 1
We are informed by one ’Asi ibn Hasan of the Dahamsha tribe that
3 months ago while he was encamped at the place called Shahab al-Sahn,
within ’Iraq territory, he was raided by Mutliq ibn Zamil accompanied by
twenty camelmen who seized his sheep consisting of 100 heads and re
turned with them into Nejd territory. We have learnt that Mutliq and his
men are “ Zakat ” collectors under ’Abdulaziz ibn Musa’id.
We request that you will communicate with the Hejd Government and
ask them to restore the pillaged sheep and do the necessary to prevent the
recurrence of such acts of aggression which are likely to have a prejudi
cial effect on the good relations existing between the two neighbouring
Kingdoms.
We should be glad to be acquainted with the result in due course.
Lc562ED

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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.' [‎366r] (736/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2071, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061765166.0x000089> [accessed 16 June 2026]

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