File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎371v] (747/898)

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four Germans are still here, but they seem to do nothing except go out to every steamer
that calls and treat it as a bar with an “ on ” and “ off licence.
3. Reports that Ibn Sand’s men are dissatisfied and that many are returning home
find ready credence in official circles m Jeddah. The belief m such reports has been
greatly strengthened by a private letter addressed to 1 ahsm Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the commander of
the Hedjaz army, by Ibn Sand. Ibn Sand asks his brother to come and discuss die^
matter with him and see who is right -Ibn Sand or Ali. Tahsin is not replying to
this letter.
Another sign of weakness is detected in a proclamation to the Mahometan world
published by Ibn Sand in his newspaper towards the end of I ebruary. While he
speaks confidently about occupying Jeddah soon, he does not promise that it will be
open for the pilgrimage, but invites pilgrims to come to Mecca via ports which are
already in his hands, e.g., Lith and Kunfudah.
4. King Ali and the army officers are now talking even more confidently of
marching out against the enemy in a few days, and all animals capable of being used
for transport are being registered. The arrival of the new war material certainly
makes the project less fantastic, but the main difficulty, to which I have before
referred, viz., lack of reliable troops, still exists. The mutiny which I reported last
time was, I have since found, staved off without payment of all the arrears of pay ;
many of the men are still a month behind, and will therefore have a claim for two
months’ pay on the 24th March, when the Arabic month ends.
5. The two Arabs who obtained the war material from Trieste have been
decorated by Ali, and one of them, a Syrian named Muhi-al-Din Shatila, has been
appointed Hedjaz consul and commercial agent in Trieste. 1 do not know whether
this appointment has been accepted by the Italian Government. I am inclined to
believe that the war material was not smuggled out without their knowledge. It is
perhaps not unreasonable to see a connection between the export of this material and
the fact that, whereas the other foreign representatives, in view of the difficulty of the
situation, avoid seeing the King unless it is absolutely necessary, the Italian consul
has frequent interviews with him.
6. The Hedjaz Government have asked for visas for three men whom they wish
to send to India to counter the Caliphate committee’s propaganda against the Hedjaz.
One of them, Saiyid Muhammad Tahir-al-Dabbagh, at present Minister of Finance, is
said to be the only Hedjaz official who ever tried to live on his official pay. As the
Hedjaz Government allowed the Indian delegation to come to Jeddah, I saw no harm
in the proposal, but it seemed better to ask Tie Government of India whether they had
any objection. The reply has not yet been received.
r l he Hedjaz Government are managing somehow to conduct propaganda. It is
believed that they run two papers in Bombay, “ Wahdah ” and “ Ghaibi-Gola,” and
one in Egypt, “ A1 Shuyukh.”
i. According to reports made by Javanese pilgrims who have arrived from Mecca,
the Senoussi reached Mecca on the 1st March, and was given an ostentatious reception.
Amin Rihani reports from Syria, on the authority of Turks of importance, with
whom he is in touch there, that tne Senoussi is charged with a mission from the Turks,
and that it includes the establishment of close and friendly relations between Ibn Sand
and the Imam.
S. It is difficult to find out what conditions in Mecca are now, as very few pilgrims
are coming down to Jeddah. Such reports as have been received lately show that
prices arc not nearly so high as they were at first, and that considerable stocks
of food-stuffs come by caravan from Nejd and from the blockaded ports on the Red Sea.
But the low prices are believed to be due largely to the lack of demand resulting
from—
1. The absence of pilgrims ;
A The departure of many of the inhabitants ; and
o. 1 he poveity of such of the inhabitants as have remained behind.
Any persons who are inclined to accept Ibn Sand’s invitation (see paragraph 3) to
go to Mecca via Lith or some other minor port would do well to consider whether the
necessan oiganisation for landing, housing and feeding large bodies of ioreigners is
likely to exist at such ports, and whether such supplies as reach Mecca are likely to
suffice if there is a large influx of visitors.
3- Gil the 9th March the (Mahometan) anniversary of the Arab revolt against the
Turks was eelebiated. The consular corps were invited to call on King Ali. The call
was paid m pi am clothes, as Ah has never been officially recognised.