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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎254r] (512/898)

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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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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Covemm.nt ]
EASTERN (Arabia).
CONFIDENTIAL.
[August 24, 1926. j
Section 1.
i j
E 4937/367/91] N 0 . t
Vice-Consul Jordan to Sir Austen Chamberlain.—(Received August 24.)
(No. 92. Secret.)
Sir
t fU u . , , , Jeddah, July 31, 1926. -
1 HAVE the honour to forward herewith my report on the situation in the
Hejaz during the period, the 1st to the 31st July, 1926.
Copies of this report are being sent to Egypt, Jerusalem (2), Bagdad, Aden,
feimla, Beirut (for Damascus), Khartum (through Port Sudan) and Singapore.
I have, &e.
S. R. JORDAN.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Report on Events in the Hejaz during the Period July 1-31, 1926.
•Kf/
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C
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1 tor*
DURING the period under report a revolt of the Bani Malik and the Tihana
Arabs against the authority of Ibn Saud has broken out and the first fruits of victory
rest with the revolting tribesmen, who have defeated a party of about 500 that Ibn
Saud sent against them. They are rumoured to be advancing towards Taif, where
Ibn Saud has stored a certain amount of the war materials captured from -the
Sherrifs at the fall of Medina and Jeddah. On the evening of the 26th July, an
urgent telephone call at 9 p.m. awoke the local garrison to action and the majority of
the motor cars of the concessionnaires were commandeered and the soldiers of the
garrison transported to Mecca before midnight. Several guns and a number of
machine guns were also taken to Mecca the same evening. All this would appear to
confirm the news of the initial reverse of Ibn Saud’s troops, but of the eventual
victory there would appear to be little doubt, and the Arabs in revolt will soon be
wiped out unless they are joined by other and stronger tribes. Ibn Saud has now
sent a well-armed party of about 2,000 against them.
2. Another significant incident, but which allows of several interpretations, is
that about the beginning of the period under report, a warship, flying either the
Italian or French flag, lay off Rabigh and a number of local sailing craft, known as
sambouks, went out to her and returned laden with cases of ammunition. The
number of sambouks is rumoured to have been fifteen, but, allowing for the tendency
for all true Orientals to exaggerate, it was probably not more than eight or ten.
Owing to the distance the ship lay off the shore my informant states that it was
impossible to distinguish as to whether it was a French or Italian ship. When the
news was given to Ibn Saud he thanked the informant but laughingly told him that
it was his own ammunition. It appears probable that this may be a present to Ibn
Saud from the French for signing the commercial treaty with Syria, but I have been
unable to ascertain any further details regarding the ship and its cargo.
3. Raiding on the frontiers would appear to be on the decline as I have
received no complaints either from the local authorities or from Iraq and Trans
jordan during tfie present month.
4. Ibn Saud has sent a representative to Amman to treat with 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
authorities for the return of all looted animals and effects.
5. His Majesty’s eldest son, Saud, who came from Riyadh for the pilgrimage,
is now proceeding to Egypt to undergo an operation on his eyes. The Egyptian eye
specialist who operated on the King himself some time ago refused to make a second
visit to the Heiaz, and so perforce the son is obliged to go to Egypt. The party,
which will be composed of some thirty persons, intend leaving on the steamship
<£ Mansourah ” of the Khedivial Mail Line, on the 2nd August. Formal permission
has been obtained from the Egyptian Government, but the local newspaper to-day
publishes a long article to the effect that the Egyptian Government has invited Saud
to Egypt and that, during his stay in that country, he will be the guest of the King.
[1376 aa—1] B

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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)’ [‎254r] (512/898), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1115, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100084998361.0x000071> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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