File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [‎428v] (861/898)

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The restrictions abolished by the second, third and fourth of these measures were
aimed at Bin Sand. The King Imped by starving the Hedjaz ^
pv-nort of o-oods to Neid. A minor object was to make the Hedjaz tiibes too dependent
on the Kifg’s food permits to give trouble. In so far as the restrictions were observed,
key had the effect^ starving^ Hedjaz for lack of such -entias as ghr wh.ch ar ^
usually imported from Nejd and the Yemen, and ot ruining the Hedjaz merchants
The suppression of the blockade has already led to an increase m the demand W
food-stuffs, piece-goods and other imports. The sudden removal of the embargo on the
importation P of medjidiehs may lead to violent fluctuations in prices. The Hedjaz
Government have tow announced that Government Departments wdl accept no
foreien currency except gold and Indian silver rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. . They do not accept medjidiehs
except for stms not exceeding 24 piastres (about 3s. id.)-, they only use them for
paying out, at a loss to the payee of 50 per cent or more. As the Government rate is
7 medjidiehs to the pound gold, you might think that you could settle a bill of half a
sovereign for, e.g., a telegram by paying 3| medjidiehs. But you do not know your
King Hussein. 'You pay him a gold pound (unless by a rare chance you can procure
half a sovereign), and he gives you 3J medjidiehs change, which is worth Iron, a third
to a quarter of a sovereign, according to the season of the year. In the acquisition o
gold the King triumphs even over the one-eyed Anmaspians of antiquity ; they had to
go to the trouble of stealing it from the griffins. _ . r ,.
The Caliphate business gives wide opportunities to King Hussein s journalistic
instincts. No longer need he hide behind the perfectly transparent veil of A Header
in Mecca,” “ Our Special Correspondent at X,” &c. As Caliph he is for ever issuing
nroclamations notices, exhortations, answers to addresses, replies to telegrams, and so
on. Immediatelv after his return he launched a proclamation explaining once moie
with what reluctance, with what pious diffidence, he had accepted the heavy burden ot
the Caliphate which the Moslem world had seen fit to thrust upon him, calling on ail
Moslems to assist him, and inviting subscriptions for the relief of the exiled lurkis
Eoyal Family. This was followed by another announcing the approaching election ol
an advisory council to the Caliphate. This council is to consist of two sections : one or
religious matters, the other for economic affairs, e.g., the development of agriculture and
industry. As the King never takes anybody’s advice, and as in any case the Hedjaz
has (except for a little agriculture) only one industry, viz., the robbery of pilgrims, an
industry in which all Hedjazis, in particular the Koyal Family, attain an astonishing
proficiency at a tender age, it is not anticipated that the council will be very usy.
The council is to be composed of notables of “ the countries” (members from abroad will
receive from the Caliph not only their travelling expenses, but _ also a maintenance
allowance during their stay in Mecca), and to work in the service of “ the nation
(? the Arab nation or the world of Islam). Then some of the leading men of Mecca and
Jeddah were summoned and ordered, in another proclamation, to proceed to t e
untrammelled election of members of the council. The results of the election aie state
by the “ Kibla ” to be as follows: Sayyids, 9 ; representatives of Mecca, 4 ; Medina, 1 ,
Taif, 2 ; Syria, 1 ; Daghistan, 1 ; Bokhara, 2 ; India, 3 ; Turkey, 1 ; Afghanistan, 1 ;
Java, 2 ; Soudan, 3 ; Morocco, 1. The Dutch consul has learned that no Javanese have
agreed to serve on the council, but one of the ulama has informed him that he may
have to give way to the great pressure which, is being brought to bear on him to
become a member. _ _ . „ ,
The King affects to make light of the opposition to his assumption o± t e
Caliphate; his newspapers hardly refer to it. Sa‘id-al-Jazairi, of Syria, is descube
as a non-Moslem sold to the French ; the Egyptian opposition is belittled and
ridiculed; India is said to be, as to an enormous majority of the Moslems there, m
favour of King Hussein; and the Grand Kadi wires to the Indian Caliphate Commit ee
telling them that, instead of worrying about conferences to discuss a question whic as
already been settled in accordance with Moslem law, they had far better help m t e
recovery of the treasures stolen from the Prophet's tomb by the Turks and of t ose
parts of the Hedjaz Hallway which are not yet under the control ot the Committee o
Management established at Medina. . . ,
If King Hussein were ever to be deposed, he should command a high salary in e
West as log-roller and gerrymanderer of elections. His efforts to secure recognition as
I Caliph are as determined as they are shameless. How the people of Mecca were
obliged to hand in and to pay for expensive telegrams of recognition which were nevei
‘ despatched has already been related. The next move was recognition by pilgrims.
This was easy ; the guides simply handed in lists of all their pilgrims as having
recognised the King as Caliph, and the lists were printed in the Mecca press. e