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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎39r] (82/898)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (445 folios). It was created in 13 Mar 1924-18 Mar 1931. It was written in English. 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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“V T Hjg document is the property of his brit&mnic majesty
EASTERN (Arabia).
CONFIDENTIAL
H 3605/92/91]
Section 2'; Q.:.
No. 1
Sir A . Ryan to Mr. A . Henderson.—(Received July 7 'i
(No. 147.) *
Sir ’ ^ i June 21, 1930.
WITH reference to Mr. Bond s despatch No. 103 of the 3rd May, I have the
honour to forward the Jedda report for the month of May, 1930. I regret that owino-
to the numerous occupations incidental to my arrival and the pressure of work early
in June entailed by Mr. MacDonnell’s visit and the King’s presence in Jedda I have
been unable to prepare the report earlier.
2. Copies of the report have been sent to Cairo, Bagdad, Jerusalem, Jerusalem
for transmission to the Royal Air Force Officer Commanding in Palestine and Trans
jordan, Beirut, Damascus, Aden, Simla, Singapore, the Chief Secretary to the
Government of the Federated Malay States, Kuala Lumpur, Khartum through Port
Sudan, Lagos, the Senior Naval Officer, Red Sea sloops and His Majesty’s consul at
Basra.
I have, &c.
ANDREW RYAN.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Jedda Report for Period May 1 to 31, 1930.
Internal Affairs and Frontier Questions.
ALTHOUGH, as stated elsewhere, there have been vague r um ours of “ trouble
in Nejd,” no definite information came to hand during May regarding the situation
in the interior.
2. The Government showed a tendency to represent the neighbourhood of 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 frontier as being still the theatre of much raiding from the other side.
It is difiicult to judge whether this was based on fact or due to a desire to create a
prejudicial atmosphere round the investigation into past raids about to be held by
Mr. M. S. MacDonnell, who was to begin his labours by seeing Ibn Saud early in June.
His Majesty’s Government had once more reviewed the frontier situation as a whole
in London in April and had on the 23rd April issued instructions to Sir Andrew
Ryan to go into the whole question personally with Ibn Saud at an early date after
his arrival in Jedda. The idea underlying the instructions was that an attempt
should be made to get away from the atmosphere of protest and counter-protest
which had grown round the question. The King was to be reminded that, by the
appointment of Mr. MacDonnell, the necessary steps had been taken to liquidate the
past. As regards the present and future, he was to be told in some detail what had
been done 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 side in the way of developing the activities of the
Tribal Control Board, providing the Frontier Force with mechanical transport and
strengthening the local police. He was to be reproached with his own neglect, so
far as His Majesty’s Government knew, to take effective action on his side, special
reference being made to his failure to punish the authors of the large scale raid
conducted by his own officers, Ibn Masaa and Ibn Neshmi, in February. He was to
be urged to take serious steps to control his tribes and to be urged to give immediate
effect to article 3 of the Hadda Agreement, which provides for the maintenance of
direct contact between the authorities on both sides of the frontier, but which has
never come into operation owing to Ibn Saud’s attitude. Owing to the King’s
absence at Mecca no opportunity occurred during May of carrying out these
instructions, but Sir Andrew Ryan prepared the ground in conversation with the
Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs.
3. Reports continued to be current regarding an alleged intention on the part
of Ibn Saud to attack the Yemen. They were of such a nature as to deserve some
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About this item

Content

The volume mostly contains printed copies of despatches from HM Agent and Consul, Jeddah, to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, enclosing reports on the situation in the Hejaz (also spelled Hedjaz in the file) [now a region of Saudi Arabia], from January 1924 to December 1930, and related enclosures to the reports. These despatches were sent to the Under-Secretary of State for India by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The volume also includes 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. Political and Secret Department minute papers, which include comments on the reports, and indicate that the reports had been seen by the Under-Secretary of State for India and the Political Committee of the Council of India.

The reports are monthly for January to August 1924, May 1925, September 1925 to March 1927, June 1927 to June 1930, and December 1930. Reports between these dates cover shorter periods, except July and August 1930, which are both covered by one report, and September, October and November 1930, which are also covered by one report.

The reports discuss matters including the actions of King Hussein ibn Ali al-Hashimi of the Hejaz, including his attempts to gain recognition as Caliph, and the military and financial situation in the Hejaz during the war between the Hejaz and the Saudi Sultanate of Nejd [Najd]. They report on events of the Hedjaz-Nejd war including: the capture of Taif (September 1924) and Mecca (October 1924) by Nejd; the departure of the ex-King Hussein from Jeddah; the fall of Medina and Jeddah and the surrender of the Hejaz to Sultan Abdul Aziz of Nejd [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd, also known as Ibn Saud] (December 1925); and the formal assumption of the title of King of the Hejaz and Sultan of Nejd and its Dependencies by Ibn Saud (8 January 1925).

The reports following the annexation of the Hejaz by Nejd cover internal affairs, including prohibitions introduced for religious reasons, the Hejaz Railway, the financial situation of the Hejaz-Nejd Government, and the Hejaz Air Force. They also report on foreign relations, including: the publication of an agreement, dated 21 October 1926, between Ibn Saud and Sayyid Hassan-el-Idrisi, establishing the suzerainty of Ibn Saud over Asir; relations between Ibn Saud and Imam Yahya of the Yemen; the situation on the frontiers between Nejd and Iraq, and Nejd and 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 ; and the Treaty of Jeddah between Hejaz-Nejd and Great Britain (20 May 1927). They also report Ibn Saud being proclaimed King of the Hejaz, Nejd and its Dependencies (4 April 1927).

In addition, other frequently occurring topics in the reports are: the Pilgrimage [Hajj], including the arrival of pilgrims in the Hejaz, from India, Java and elsewhere, arrangements for the pilgrimage, the welfare of pilgrims, and the repatriation of pilgrims; and the slave trade and slavery in the Hejaz, including the manumission and repatriation of slaves.

The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (445 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

The subject 1707 (Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)) consists of one volume only.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 447; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 4-444; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English in Latin script
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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎39r] (82/898), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1115, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100084998359.0x000053> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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