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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [‎455r] (914/1062)

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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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most highly prized class of slaves would command a price of £70—80 in
Arabia.
It was also stated that the movements of the sloops were well known,
that the French ships were not much feared, but that the slavers took great
trouble to avoid the British sloops.
It was also stated that there was a man in Jibouti, who would say “ Oh,
plenty of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. ” for information concerning the movements of ships.
This information contravenes the opinion expressed to me just previous
ly, by M. Street at Jibouti, but is in such striking confirmation of the
opinions expressed by M. Zaphiro , that I thought the matter was
worth pursuing further.
Accordingly I arranged with the District Commissioner for an interview
with Said Kudar, but whilst obviously anxious to please, I had the feeling
that he was not speaking by any means Ireely. He started off by mention
ing all the well-known places, where slaves have been anded in the past,
and then went on to say that nowadays the traffic is almost all earned out
in small boats, the business being too dangerous for the bigger dhows.
He confirmed the reports that all the slaves come from the Danakil
coast, and when I told him that the Sultan of Tadjura was in prison, he
seemed in no way surprised, but said that another man in the tribe was now
actively engaged in the trade. I questioned him narrowly as to whether the
movements of the sloops got known in advance, and as to the course steered
by the slavers from the African shore to the coast of Arabia.
At this point, he appeared to me to be distinctly evasive, said that the
movements of the ships were never known, but that a sharp look-out for
their masts was always maintained, and that although a few of the slaves
were taken straight across the Straits of Ban al Mandeb, and landed near
Sheikh Seyd, the majority followed the African coast, amongst the Italian
Islands, and then crossed over the Red Sea, when opposite their intended
port of call.
This information seemed to me distinctly contradictory, as it vas
coupled with an emphatic statement that the slavers only trevelled by night,
and yet were always ready to run their boats ashore, and retreat inland on
sighting a sloop.
He knew the notorious French slave dealer, M. Manfried quite well, and
had often had dealings with him in the past, referring to him laughingly as
Sheikh Abdulla, the name he has adopted in Arabia.
He added that the slavers on their return usually carried back a cargo
of rifles with them, and that they themselves were usually armed.
The agent who pays for informatiou in Jibouti,[he stated to be an Arab
named Hamudi.
I am taking steps to ascertain if possible through Mr. Grimson, whether
Said Hudar was purposely misleading me or not, as his Somali Boy was
present as interpreter at my interview with him, and was also of the fishing
P In the meantime, the following information was ° b t ain ^ t b ^Ua
District Commissioner from his Inspector of Pohce who has been at Zerla
for the last 30 years, and who may be regarded as reliable.
^ 'C E t£ «‘Z WOO *v„ ,» »l»o« ..-u
° hl,d E.ut« «... they 0.». "05 '«•"
c ."‘dirr r . r £“yVs:cV,’*■««..»«».
slavers.

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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.' [‎455r] (914/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2071, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100061765167.0x000073> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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