Papers on British policy and the Arab movement [‎1v] (4/380)

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In the letter which Sherif Husein sent to Sir H. McMahon in July, 1915, definitely
proposing an agreement with His Majesty’s Goverrnent, lie laid down the following
condition :—
“ Thirdly, for the security of this Arab independence and the certainty of such
preference of economic enterprises, both high contracting parties to ofter mutual
assistance to the best ability of their military and naval forces, to face any foreign
Power which may attack either party. Peace not to be decided without agreement
of both parties ” (p. 40).
This condition was more emphatically stated in the Sherifs third letter to
Sir H. McMahon, dated the 5th November 1915 :—
“ (5) When the Arab knows that the Government of Great Britain is their
Ally who will not leave them to themselves at the conclusion of peace, in the face
of Germany and Turkey, and that she will support and effectively defend them,
then to enter the war at once will be, no doubt, in conformity with the general
interest of the Arabs” (p. 94).
In reply to this. Sir H McMahon, acting on Foreign Office instructions, gave the
following assurance in his third letter to the Sherif, dated the 13th December, 1915 :—
“ It is most essential that you should spare no effort to attach all the Arab
peoples to our united came, and urge them to afford no assistance to our enemies.
“ It is on the success of these efforts, and on the more active measures which
the Arabs may hereafter tuke in support of our cause, when the time for action
comes, that the permanence and strength of our agreement must depend.
“ Under these circumstances, I am further directed by the Government of
Great Britain to inform you that you may rest assured that Great Britain has no
intention cf concluding any peace, in terms of which the freedom of the Arab
peoples from German and Turkish domination does not form an essential
condition ” (p. 103).
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The Sherif took note of this assurance in his fourth letter to Sir H. McMahon,
dated the 1st January, 1916 :—
“ I have a strong belief, which the living will inherit from the dead, in the
declarations which you gave in the conclusion of your honoured letter ” (p. 113).
The assurance was of course contingent, but the Sherif’s action since that date has
evidently brought it into operation.
It was repeated in a Foreign Office message telegraphed to Sir R. Wingate, on
the 4th February, 1918, for transmission to the Sherif (now King of the HejazJ :—
“ His Majesty’s Government, along with their Allies, stand for the cause of
the liberation of the oppressed nations, and are determined to stand by the Arab
peoples in their struggle for the reconstruction of an Arab world, in which law
shall once again replace Ottoman violence and unity the artificial rivalries
promoted by Turkish officials. His Majesty’s Government re-affirm their former
• pledges to His Highness in regard to the freeing of the Arab peoples. Liberation
is the policy His Majesty’s Government have pursued and intend to pursue with
unswerving determination by protecting such Arabs as art: already liberated from
the danger of re-conquest, and assisting such Arabs as are still under the yoke of
the oppressor to obtain their freedom.” 1
Relation of Commitments under (i) to British desiderata :—
No conflict, if interpreted in the light of our reservations under (iii), (iv) and (v).
(ii.) Guarantees regarding the Moslem Holy Places.
The Government of India issued the following proclamation on the 2nd November,
1914 :
“ In view of the outbreak of war between Great Britain and Turkey, which to
the iceret of Great Britain has been brought about by the ill-advised, unprovoked,
am deliberate action of the Ottoman Government, his Excellency the Viceroy is
authorised by His Majesty’s Government to make the following public announce-
1 22108/146/18.