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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎391r] (786/1062)

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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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Enclosure 1 to Serial No. (21).
Confidential Despatch from His Excellency the High Commissioner for
Iraq, to the Colonial Office, No. 22, dated the 30th April 1930.
With reference to His Majesty’s Charge d’Affaires at Jeddah’s telegram No. 47
of the 18th April to the I oreign Office, I have the honour to forward for the informa
tion oi His Majesty s Government a copy of a letter 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
Kuweit JNo. 218, dated the 22nd April 1930, regarding Ibrahim-ibn-Arfaipetty
commander of the Nejd Forces.
^opi es despatch, and of its enclosure, are being sent to His Majesty’s
High Commissioner for Iraq at Baghdad and to His Majesty’s Minister at Jeddah.
Enclosure 2 to Serial No. (21).
Confidential letter 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. , Kuweit, to the Hon’ble 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. , Bushire, No. 218 dated the
22nd April 1930. *
With reference to Jeddah’s telegram No. 47, dated 18th April addressed to the
Foreign Office and repeated to Baghdad, Bushire and Kuweit under telegram No.
25.
2% I have the honour to remark that on the 17th April, there was a report
current m Kuweit that the individual m question was shortly due to arrive among
the Awazim, and had given out that he was coming to replace Mohamed-ibn-
Sultan.
3. His Excellency the Shaikh of Kuweit to whom I mentioned Jeddah’s tele
gram on the 21st April informed me that he had received no information from His
Majesty’s King Bin Saud on the matter whatsoever.
4. The Shaikh gave it as his opinion that Ibrahim-bin-Arfaj, whom he knows
as another petty commander of His Majesty King Bin Sand’s, like Mohamed-ibn-
Sultan has been deputed with the sole and express purpose of tightening up the
blockade against Kuweit, and that the table that he is coming up to post himself
in the vicinity of the ‘ Iraq-Kuweit-Nejd frontiers to settle certan matters between
Nejd tribes, is so much camouflage, especially the story that he will be ready to
receive complaints from the ’Iraq or Kuweit frontier authorities against Nejd
tribes.
5. The Shaikh added that Ibrahim-bin-Arfaj, was the Commander of the Nejd
“ Sarriyeh ” stationed with the “ Subei ” and Sahool tribes, when al-duwish at
tacked and defeated them in July 1929 at Gaiyeh (Qaiya) near Artawiyeh (reported
in my No. 468, dated 12th August 1929).
6. To day the 22nd April news reached Kuwait by camelman from the South
that Ibn Arfaj had camped at Hafar-al-Batin five days ago. This appears to con
firm the news given in paragraph 2 above.
( 22 )
(Received on 15th June 1930, with Political Secretary's letter No. 22, dated the 29th May
1930.)
Telegram from the High Commissioner for Iraq, to the Secretary of State
for the Colonies, No. 226, dated the 18th May 1930. (Repeated to
Jeddah, No. 205.)
Reference to Jeddah telegram 52 to the Foreign Office [Serial No. (15)].
On three occasions Royal Air Force machines have visited Darin to supply
spares and effect repairs to Nejd Air Force Wireless Station. On 13th April flying
boat returning from India delivered spares at Darin ? at considerable inconvenience.
All flights were undertaken with sole object of assisting Nejd Air Force and no
charge has been made even for spares supplied.
Royal Air Force also assisted Nejd Air Force with supplies of petrol and oil
in Southern Desert and at Koweit in February.
I trust Hedjaz Government will withdraw their protest when they know the
facts.

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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.' [‎391r] (786/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2071, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061765166.0x0000bb> [accessed 10 June 2026]

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