File 7251/1920 Pt 3 'Arabia: Situation and Policy; Agenda for Inter Departmental Committee Meetings' [‎205r] (46/268)

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cheaper in the end to ensure his non-interference in the Aden protectorate by paying
him some small sum as a token of favour than by attempting to keep him out of the
protectorate by force.
(6.) Asir. —The Idrisi Said has been loyal to His Majesty’s Government
throughout the war, and was in receipt of a subsidy up to June 1919. He is not on
good terms with either of his two neighbours, King Hussein or the Imam. He has,
however, consistently professed himself ready to accept the arbitration of His Majesty’s
Government in outstanding questions. This arbitration would be difficult, if not
impossible, to cam- out if any discrimination were made between him and the Imam on
the question of financial assistance. He has represented many times that, while he has
remained loval to us, he obtains no benefit from his loyalty, and the fact that King
Hussein and Ibn Saud have both received subsidies long after his own subsidy was
stopped has probably been at the back of his mii.d in making these representations.
(7.) Anazeh — Fahad Beg, the ruler of the section of the Anazeh whose country
borders on Mesopotamia, receives a subsidy of 17,000 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. a month from Mesopotamian
revenues. This is understood to be in connection with his assistance to us in blockade
work, but no proposal has yet been made for the reduction or cessation of the
allowance.
(8.) Koweit. —The Sheikh of Koweit has a stretch of foreshore leas* d by His
Majesty’s Government, and is exempted from payment of taxes on his date gardens in
Basra to the extent of 60,000 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. a year. The Civil Commissioner at Bagdad has
recommended that the lease should be terminated, and that a similar amount should
be paid to him quarterly in arrears, admittedly as a subsidy, and subject to his good
behaviour. . . , M
(9.) Hail.—Ibn Rashid is at present in receipt of no subsidy, but the Civil
Commissioner, Bagdad, has recommended a subsidy of 37,500 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. a month.
(In.) Nejd. — Ibn Sand is at present in receipt of a subsidy of 5,000/. a, month.
He also received recently an additional present of 5,0001. as a mark of appreciation from
His Majesty’s Government for having restrained his followers from making the
pilgrimage. It will be seen from c >rrespondence marked (C) that the High
Commissioner at Bagdad now suggests that his subsidy should be increased to 100 0001.
a vear, paid quarterly. An interesting report on the political situation in Nejd has
been recently teceived in the 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. , from which it appears that Ibn bauds
position is by no means so strong as has sometimes been imagined, and that there
would be decided opposition on the part of the other rulers to any policy of aggiandising
him at the expense of his neighbours. rT . x ,
12. it it is accepted that there is no objection to His Majesty s Governmen
concluding a treats with the independent King of the Hedjaz, and that the only way
for them to establish their influence with the remaining rulers of Arabia is to afford
them a minimum of financial support, the deduction appears to be that His Majesty s
Government should take the following line :
(1.) As soon as the Turkish treaty is ratified, and independently of the draft treaty
dealing with Arabia (Appendix (A) j, they should conclude a treaty with the King oft e
Hedjaz, in which it would be provided :
(a.) That in return for certain definite undertakings to be made by King Hussein,
His Majesty’s Government would arrange for and guarantee a loan secured
on the customs revenues and mineral resources of the country.
lb.) That, so far as his foreign relations with other Arab rulers were concerned he
would undertake to accept the arbitration of His Majesty s Government m
every rase.
The negotiations could most conveniently be conducted through the Eimr Feb-al.
(2 ) Ts S soon as the draft treaty (Appendix (A)) is s lg ned t e oth r , n depende t
i ulers of Arabia should be informed that this has been acme and invited to ente ,
modify or ratify the existing treaty relations between them and H,s Majesty
Government.
1 S The actual form which the financial assistance to the other Arab rulers should
sn .h l "h sarsrrs-. .i« su pp" rt
SBCi SJSSi. ii