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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎247v] (499/898)

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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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15. A small incident of a more or less religions nature occurred at Mecca a
short while ago. This was that a number of the young men of IMecca went to a place
called Shuada, some 2 miles from the town, and there consumed too freely contraband
whisky or wines and m their drunken state created such a low that the police were
called out to cjuiet them. In the ensuing wislBa one policeman was shot by a diunken
reveller.
16. * The economic situation shows no great signs of improvement and money is
still short in the Government coffers. n , n ^
Since the pilgrimage, however, honest efforts are being made by the Govern
ment to reorganise the customs and other administrations, and in this respect and m
order to encourage and facilitate trade in the country, a number of reforms have
been instituted. p 1 _
17. The first is an all-round reduction of at least 25 per cent, ot the customs
duties payable on necessities. . .
18. The second is the abolishing of a pernicious practice o± collecting 10 per
cent of the value of all goods that left either Mecca, Medina or Taif for the
Bedouin of the desert or for the Nejd. This was instituted by Hussein, and its
abolition is a step in the right direction and will go far to endear Ibn Baud to the
dcsGi't tribes.
19. A further reform is the abolition of the kushan on donkeys. This does
not sound of much importance, but it is really a boon, because if the goods pay extra
customs and the animal carrying the goods is also taxed, the price of the commodity
goes up by leaps and bounds.
20. The motor concession accorded to a number of Hejazis and passed on by
them to an Egyptian-Jew syndicate has been cancelled by the Government, and a
notice has been published that in future concessions granted by the Government are
non-transferable unless the Government’s permission is first obtained.
21. In view of the absolute lack of sanitary measures during the Haj, the local
Government are showing great activity in the reorganisation of the Hejaz Health
Administration.
In order to facilitate them in this work they have, through this agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. ,
requested the Palestinian authorities to furnish them with a copy of the Palestinian
Administration’s rules and regulations as a guide to drawing up a similar scheme
for the Hejaz.
22. A strong effort is also being made to put down bribery and corruption
amongst the Government officials, and a set of rules to govern their actions has been
issued and each official forced to sign them and declare that he will abide thereby.
23. A meeting of the notables of the country was recently held in Mecca, and I
attach hereto the report of the results of this gathering as published in the local
newspaper, “ Um-ul-Kura.'’
24. Four slaves have been repatriated during the period under report.
S T? .TOTMIAN.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Organisation of the Hejaz Departments.
AFFAIRS in the Hejaz, since the conquest to the end of the pilgrimage
season, were carried out as necessity and interest required, because the period be ore
the Haj was not long enough to put into force the rules and regulations accor mg
to which affairs are to be carried out. Whenever anything happened, temporary
steps were taken for same. „
Most of the things which require consideration are collected, and alter
pilgrims have departed, the Government began to think of putting into lorce
necessary regulations and of taking the steps which facilitate dealings wi
people and maintain the comfort of the pilgrims. t ua W be
High orders were issued for the competent authorities in Jeddan o
requested to go to Mecca to meet with the members of the legislative Counci an
discuss such necessary matters. The following points have been submitte °
combined council:—
(1.) Putting regulation for His Majesty’s representative, pointing out
provinces and his connections with other departments.

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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)’ [‎247v] (499/898), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1115, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100084998361.0x000064> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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