File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎81r] (166/898)

3
m.
in
ie sect:
- small
would
sum of £13,256, which represents the balance due for the aeroplanes ea moment onP
JS ^ pers^nel 0 ‘xhe’a^ ^ enta - ““8 ^ &W, due
rnga^™! SoS z Government have ais ° si « ned the cont - cts
' 0 irtfii ; ^ e6n c ^ ec]x ^ e< ^ that the aeroplanes are to be based for the present
■ ®»th j^L arm Island, opposite El Qatif, in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . r rhe Acting Minister for
Wift.^eign Atfairs has informed His Majesty’s agent and consul that^rrangemeXs
«yklve«: f0r the lal ; d i mg °f a r° planeS an< ^ for the accommodation of the aviators there are
Wy pull, J 1 ®" 7 l 0,n P ete ' ;U| P Pc requests that the aeroplanes and personnel should be sent
1 1 fhere as soon as possible. At the same time he accepts a proposal of His Maiestv’s
• Government that, as a preliminary measure, an Air Force Officer from Iraq accom-
panied by a political officer, should proceed to Darin Island in a flying boat in order
t0 inspect the proposed aerodrome and to advise as to arrangements for the accom-
u ,r modation of the personnel.
deaty. 16 ' A f r eg ard s a second proposal that, in the course of this flight, an
’feel i« emerge P c y iandmg-ground should be selected and marked out on the Hasa coast
b K a PP roxlm fely half-way between El Qatif and Koweit, the Acting Minister for
wL l a*, p °reign Affairs finds some difficulty m permitting the exploration of a site as
suggested, m view of the possible presence of rebels in that area and the consequent
0 “I risk to the flying boat and its occupants. If, he says, it is eventually found difficult
*nsetoil tor the aeroplanes to reach Darin in a single stage, it will be necessary to adopt
other means for their conveyance. r
id to His!: 17. A satisfactory assurance has been received from the Hejaz Government
ng other!: to the effect that the British personnel will in no circumstances be allowed to fly over
lities mill the sacred zones of Mecca and Medina.
been Mb 18. A committee was formed in Mecca early in the month to collect funds for
force near! the Moslem sufferers in Palestine, and a subscription list was opened in the £C Um-
Icomeaiifjf el-Qura ” headed by a contribution of £100 from His Highness the Emir Feisal.
icloset: Tii e opportunity thus afforded of helping their fellow-Moslems does not, however,
s tokeep seem to have made a very powerful appeal to the Hejazis. In fact, a sum of £438
ts of Ms In P oun Ts only had been collected—one may almost say exacted—by the end of the
isider their mon th. Some doubts have been expressed as to the wisdom of forwarding so small
:r frontier, a sun b as it is thought that to do so might only serve to provoke a lavish response on
prevent§T. T ew i s h side, which would invite awkward comparisons. It is understood that
! s Gove® ^his aspect of the matter has been represented to the King.
rossirtlf n ^g noran ce, presumably, of the dementi published by the Executive
he latteir Committee of the Palestine Moslems Congress, communicated by His Majesty’s
niosteiik a ^ ent to t ^ le A c C n g Minister for Foreign Affairs on the 12th September (September
hehe!b rep0 * rt ’ P ara g ra ph 24), Ibn Sand has addressed a letter to His Majesty the King
stating that he and all his people have received with deep sorrow the new/s that
n certain Jews have throwm hand-grenades into the holy mosque in Jerusalem while
01 jp' Moslems were assembled there for Friday prayer.
TT , 1 20. In connexion also wdth the Palestine disturbances, a note was addressed
nerr0 T to ^e Hejaz Government on the 18th October embodying the text of an official
mmst * communique published in Palestine wdth the object of eliminating any doubt as to
IMJA the nature and scope of certain instructions which have been issued in order to
dlle!® regulate observances at the Wailing Wall.
Oeiflp 21. Hafiz Wahba, the Hejaz representative in London, passed through Jedda
;r, ten & on the 25th October on his way to Mecca. His enemies have actively exploited a
itenite 1 recent statement made by him in London concerning Ibn Sand’s attitude towards
of 8§(b recent events. He is consequently a little doubtful of the reception which he will
^0 receive from the King, and, unless he can talk over the King, it is possible, he thinks,
that he may not return to London.
r One 1 : 22. The Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs has intimated to His Majesty’s
gfeiP -agent that the Hejaz Government would appreciate an invitation from His
Majesty’s Government to accede to the Arms Traffic Convention of the 17th June,
1925, and would be glad of British support of the application wffiich it would then
address to the French Government in accordance with the provisions of the
convention.
23. The freedom of the transit trade between Nejd and Syria has become the
subject of discussion betwmen the Hejaz Government and His Majesty’s Government
in connexion wdth the detention in January last of a Nejdi caravan which was
leaving Maan for Nejd wdth arms and 10,000 rounds of ammunition concealed
in baggage; on that occasion eight members of the caravan were arrested and their
arms and ammunition were temporarily confiscated.
and p
> sail!''