File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎117v] (239/898)

of his return to Mecca, though it is generally felt )
Nejd. There is no definite news
that he will arrive before the en “ ^ arbitration commission to decide on
4. The question of the composition a received from Ibn Saud to the note
Iraq-Nejd differences is stl11 „ ue -^estions still leaves considerable doubt as to his
!S 55 KJ« - -. BrM, *,
and repo ^ n ffi rer should proceed to Jeddah by air, but
shop. It has been suggested . t ions to the presence in Hejaz territory of
the Hejaz Government see ser 3 dd tbev f ee l not fail to arouse comment
foreign aircraft. . The P^^^^LTand cause embarrassment to both Govern-
and * i d v 6 j?o criycf™ Mini^CT^ifor^Foreig^Affairs has referred the matter to Ibn
S but has |pe^t M^t^will^ hm S dn. t ^
with a catgooftenzine, petrol, flour and sugar, "
The Heiaz Government refused permission, and the Kommumst proceeded to
Hodefdi where most of the cargS was discharged
the action of the Heiaz Government m refusing to allow boviet snips to discnarge
camo at Jeddah The abject of the Soviet in despatching to Arabia and selling at
less than cost price commodities which in many cases they can ill spare from Eussia
is poliGcal By the establishment of regular commercial re ations with the Hejaz,
the Soviet will gain a firm footing in the country and can make us£ of these relations
for the dissemination of propaganda; they can moreover pose a| benefactors to
Islam in that they are providing pilgrims with cheap food-stufts. The second
reason for the action of the Hejaz Government is the strong opposition of the big
importers of Indian produce, who stand to lose heavily by unfair competition from
7. In spite of the presence in the Hejaz of over 30,000 pilgrims, trade is not
flourishing. The Javanese, who alone have arrived in any numbers, are poor and
not spending as in previous years. The pilgrimage is not expected to . reac *H e S
the numbers attained last year. The official figures are 31,942, as againstT 5,000
at this period last year. Of these, 30,000 are Javanese, 800 Indians and the balance
Malays. Few J avanese or Malays are now expected; thus, on these two sources alone,
there is likelv to be a decrease of roughly 12,000. A new Indian pilgrim ship, the
“Rahmani,”'' is expected on the 1 st March, with 1,800 pilgrims on board^ the
“ Rahmani ” is the largest and best-appointed ship yet built specially for the
pilgrimage. Its total carrying capacity is 1,773, including thirty first and twenty
second class passengers. .
8 . A money order service is being inaugurated between India and the Hejaz.
Negotiations were conducted between the respective postal authorities, and have
resulted in the drawing up of an agreement. The agreement has already been
signed by the Hejaz authorities, and has been forwarded for signature to India.
The Hejaz Government have suggested the 1st April as a suitable day for the
introduction of the service. The Hejaz Government have not yet furnished the
names of the delegates whom they propose to send to the Post Conference in London
in May, though Hafiz Wahba is generally believed to be one of the chosen.
9. The indefatigable Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs has thought it
necessary to introduce regulations regarding the circulation of bicycles, of which
the total number in the Hejaz probably does not exceed a few dozen. But the
regulation satisfies Fuad Hamza’s lust for law making, and incidentally brings w
a few pounds to the Government Treasury. A licence, renewable annually, must
be obtained from the municipal authorities by the applicant, at a cost of 25. Failure
to obtain a licence within the specified time entails the payment of a double fee^
Number plates will be issued by the municipality at Is. each. ' Bells must be attached
and lamps lighted at night. Motor bicycles must, in addition, carry rear lamps.
Bicycles must be ridden on the right hand side of the road. Non-compliance with
these regulations is punishable by fine, not exceeding 4 s.
10 . A praiseworthy attempt to beautify Jeddah has been made by the planting
of trees m the principal residential street. The trees will have a hard struggle tor
existence between the neglect of the municipal waterer and the pressing attentions ot
the local goats.
11. During the period under review, one female slave of Abyssinian origin was
repatriated to Massawa.