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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎301r] (606/898)

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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 Government.]
EASTERN (Arabia)
CONFIDENTIAL.
>[E 7053/10/91]
Acting Consul Jordan to Mr. Austen Chamberlain.—(Received November 17 )
(No. 102 . Secret.)
^ r ’ Jeddah, October 29, 1925.
I HAVE the honour to enclose a repost on the situation covering the period
29th September to 29th October.
2 . Copies of this despatch and of its enclosure are being sent to India, Egypt,
Khartum (through Port ^Sudan), Jerusalem, Bagdad, Beirut (for Damascus), Aden,"
Singapore, Bushire, Koweit, Bahrein and Muskat.
I have, &c.
S. R. JORDAN.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Report for the Period September 29—October 29, 1925.
(Secret.)
WITH the exception of the Wahabi attacks on Yambo, no events of military
importance have taken place during the period under report.
2. The situation at Jeddah has, except for internecine strife, been quiet, hardly a
shot being fired by either side. Bombing operations continue, but since the arrival of
Brigadier-General Sir Gilbert Clayton at Bahra the Hedjaz Government have ceased
bombing in that direction and would appear to be concentrating on Rabigh, which is
Ibn Saud’s chief supply port.
3. The German ammunition and rifles held up for so long by the Egyptian
authorities were released during the period under report and shipped to Jeddah on the
steamship “ Mansourah ” of the Khedivial line of steamers. This material, consisting
of 290 cases of ammunition and 1,000 rifles, has now been paid for and stored in
Jeddah.
4. The soldiers, and particularly the Bedouin, are selling the ammunition issued to
them in the local market in order to raise money to buy food. The whole force is now
six months in arrears with their pay, and there seems to be but small hope of their
receiving anything in the immediate future.
5. The discontent among the troops is manifesting itself in the usual way.
Continually small parties desert to the Wahabis, and others lay down their arms and
refuse to man the trenches. Also two military godowns full of stores were raided and
the proceeds distributed. Owing to the numbers concerned the Government are
practically powerless and endeavour to keep the troops in the trenches by the spreading
of false rumours and fulsome promises which never materialise.
A fe w officers discontented with Tahsin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the commander-in-chief, and several
of the Ministry went so far as to placard the town with proclamations to the effect
that Tahsin Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Sheikh Fuad, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Ahmed Saggaf,
lor a short time Prime Minister but lately private secretary and chief adviser to the
King, should be shot for treason or deported. Several arrests were made, but again
the Government were too weak or pusillanimous to take strong action and on the
appearance of a second declaration the arrested persons were released.
6. The Palestinians still engaged are continually applying to me for repatriation,
which is refused on the instructions of the Palestine Government. But the local
Government have now agreed to send such as wish to return to Palestine to Akaba in
one of the smaller ships of the Hedjaz fleet.
7. From rumours the situation at Medina would again appear to be critical. The
King is supposed to have received from Abdul Majid, commander of the Medina forces,
a telegram stating that he could not be expected to hold out much longer as food was
short and discontent was rife. The population of Medina, according to Indian pilgrims
who left there as late as the 1st October, would all appear to be leaving the town
actually and living under the protection of the Wahabis in the country round about
Medina, where they can obtain supplies from the desert Arabs.
[1116 r—2]
No. i:
[isTovember 17, 1925.]
^ 1 2 9 ' Section 2.

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)’ [‎301r] (606/898), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1115, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100084998362.0x000007> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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