Miscellaneous correspondence, reports, maps and other papers concerning the Middle East [‎16r] (32/220)

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“ 3. That all existing jurisdiction in all my territories shall continue in
accordance with the laws of the sacred Mohammedan Shariat,
according to the sect of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal-as-Salafi, and all who
dwell therein shall be subject to them in all matters or (shall be
subject) to the customary law of the towns in which they may be,
whether my own subjects or the subjects of States adjacent to my
territories—by reason of religious obligation we are helpless without it
nor can we exceed it.
“ 4. There shall be no permission to any foreigner to acquire a hand’s-breadth
of my territories (within the defined) boundaries, not even by a
substitute, except after reference to myself and with my permission.
“ 5. After acknowledgment of the above clauses, that she (Great Britain) will
promise to prevent and to defend from all oppression and aggression
which may come upon or happen to my territories by land or by sea,
from whatever Power it may be.
“ 6. That she (Great Britain) will promise that she will not permit nor
encourage nor accord sanctuary to accused persons or fugitives from
our territories, whether townsmen or nomads.
“ 7. That she (Great Britain) will respect and protect the rights of my subjects,
and deal with them as she deals with her own subjects while they may
be (resident) in her territories and dependencies.
“ 8. If she (Great Britain) accepts and acknowledges the foregoing clauses,
then I accept and acknowledge severance of dealings with any other
Power in all (matters of) concessions, interference, and intercourse,
except with reference to the Great British Government.
“ 9. I bind myself to protect trade within my territories from all aggression,
and that I will deal (with her subjects) according to the treatment my
own subjects receive in all matters of government and business in her
(Great Britain’s) countries and dependencies.
“10. I bind myself to the protection (in) the coasts and ports which are under
my Government from all aggression to the subjects of the British
Government and those under their protection.
“11. I will forbid the traffic in arms and ammunition, whether by a Govern
ment or by (way of) merchandise, from all the ports which are under
my Government, on condition that if I should be in need of anything
in arms and ammunition I will refer to the British Government in
order to obtain my wants.’’
In forwarding this document, Captain Shakespear added some observations of his
own, which have still, after four years, an important bearing on the eventual settlement
of our permanent relations with Bin Saud after the war :—*
“ I venture to submit that Bin Saud, in effect, asks for little more than what
has been already conveyed in the Acting Resident’s assurances, if these were
meant to apply to the future and were not limited to the present crisis, and if
they are interpreted liberally and generously. In exchange, Bin Saud offers to
make himself a British vassal for good. The addition to our responsibilities does
not appear heavy :—
“(a.) The Turkish menaces from the west and north of Nejd, though very
real to Bin Saud, need give us no anxiety—we have no reason to
suppose they will be more successful in the future than they have
been within the last two or three decades, while, guaranteed from
attack by sea, Bin Saud will be in a far better position to meet them
than was possible hitherto. Should they become threatening, strong
diplomatic representations would probably suffice to prevent any
attempt on a scale with which Bin Saud could not cope himself.
“ (b.) We should probably be called upon to act as arbiters somewhat more
frequently than hitherto between the Arab Sheikhs along the coast
and Bin Saud, a duty largely to the advantage of our own interests.
* Three weeks later, on the 24th January, 1915, Captain Shakespear was killed in a battle between
Bin Saud and Bin Rashid, at which he had insisted on being present. No blame attaches to Bin Saud for
this lamentable event.
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