File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎307v] (619/898)

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are new. I am endeavouring to obtain the numbers of both planes and engines in
order to facilitate the tracing of their peregrinations since they left the British
factory An East India Company trading post. .
The bombs, which will weigh, when charged, about 25 lb., are of two kinds.
Ordinary percussion high explosive and gas. The gas is referred to locally as an
acid which vapourises on explosion and creates a choking sensation and causes the r-
body to swell before death sets in. I cannot guarantee the truth of this latter state
ment. The machine guns are of the Lewis type, and I believe that two of the
machines are fitted with the synchronising equipment.
On the 12th instant, 475 demobilised Palestinians were sent to Akaba in the
local steamship “ Tawil.” I have heard rumours of trouble or illness on board, and
that forty were disembarked at Yambo, but I have not been able to verify this
information.
There are constant desertions from the local forces in Jeddah since it has been
learned that the Harb tribes have gone over to Ibn Saud, and the defences are manned
at present by not more than 1,500 men, mostly Yemenis and Harb Arabs, with
perhaps 500 Syrians and Palestinians. There are also, it appears, some fifty
Druses, who are anxious to return to their own country to help against the French in
the revolt in Syria. Two Germans also have obtained permission to return to
Germany and are leaving at once.
The soldiers and officers are still some four months behind in their pay, and
just before the King paid them one month’s wages, about the 20th instant, the
situation was critical, and it was openly stated that the soldiers would sack the town
unless paid. This danger has now passed, but the financial situation is, if anything,
more precarious than when J last reported.
The devices adopted by the Government to induce or force the local people to
disgorge their wealth are many and varied.
The local nickel coinage, which passes under the name of halalas, periodically
falls to absolute worthlessness. Its nominal value is piastre and is supposed to be
supportedby the reserves of the Government, which are nil. Consequently, the Govern
ment, as soon as the halalas fall and local merchants refuse to accept them, buys them
in as cheaply as possible, thereby increasing their value automatically and proceeds to
issue them at par to the soldiers as pay. Lately this ruse has failed to catch the
merchants any longer, and the bazaar went on strike for two days, refusing to
accept halalas. No shops were opened and business was at a standstill. The Government
put a number of merchants in prison for twenty-four hours and fined them £5 each.
With the proceeds of the fines the Government then started a National Bank of the
Hed jaz, with a capital of £100. The merchants may now, as soon as they accept
halalas, take them to the bank, where they are exchanged at the rate of 12 mejidiehs
to the gold pound. Should the Government have no gold, the merchant receives a
credit note and has to wait for the next Government windfall. The fixed rate for
halalas outside is at 12 -| mejidiehs to the gold pound, so the Government still
make. There is about £2,000 worth of halalas in circulation, nominal value.
The King has recently sold a number of shops (his personal property) in the
bazaar to a certain Kabil, a local rich merchant, for £5,500 during last week.
£3,000 was paid in gold, £2,000 in Jeddah and £1,000 in Medina, and the rest was
paid in kind.
The Grand Vizier and Chief Kadi, Sheikh Abdullah Siraj, applied for
permission to proceed to Jransjordania for a change of air about the 17th instant.
I telegraphed to Jerusalem for the necessary permission. Owing to the shortness
of notice the reply had not been received by the 19th, so Siraj left on the
Khediyial on that day for Egypt, ostensibly for a change of air as his health
was failing. He also carried with him a full power of attorney in the name of the
Hedjaz representative in Egypt for the sale or mortgage of alb the King’s property
in Egypt. The King s aunt, who is with him in Jeddah, gave her signature for the
disposal of her share of the property also. I presume Siraj wished to proceed to
Transjordania to endeavour to secure Abdullah's co-operation.
It was stated quite authoritatively that King Ali, about the 10th of the month,
sent a telegram to ex-King Hussein stating that unless he received £50,000 he would
be obliged to leave Jeddah. The ex-King’s reply, though full of religious sentiment,
did not materially assist. It was : “ God’s will be done ! ”
The municipality have recently been commanded by the King to produce more
money, so they are to establish a tax on each shop and also a general tax for the
support of the police (' c sharta ”) in the town.