"ملف 8/15 سلسلة الجزيرة العربية - ١٩٣٣-١٩٣٩" [و‎‎١‎٥‎٦] (٤٣٤/٣١١)

Enclosure 10 to S. No. (1).
El Haj Abdulla Philby : activities in the Hadhramaut.
It is reported by Sheikh Omer Baobeid, a well-known merchant in
Aden, who arrived from his country (Shibam) last week, that El Haj
Abdulla Philby stayed many days at Shibam and told the people there
that the object of his visit was to open a motor road from Nejran to the
Hadhramaut and to encourage the trade in Ford cars, as he is a Ford
Agent in Hejaz.
He praised highly Ibn Saud, Abdul Aziz, and advised the Aqils and
Sheikhs to proceed to Hejaz and to conclude a treaty with Abdul Aziz, as
the latter is willing to accept this and will do his best to please them in
everything.
In the Hadhramaut most of the people were astonished to hear this
and replied that their country was under British protection. He told
them it was wrong to say that, as the Hadhramaut is an independent country
and they had a lot to gain by concluding a treaty with Ibn Saud. He also
said that from Nejran to the border of the Hadhramaut all the tribes agreed
to be under Saudi protection. He tried to convince the Hadhramaut
people of the generosity of Ibn Saud and advised them to take this chance
and to accompany him back to Hejaz.
He spoke ill of the British Government’s policy and indicted the British
for their cruelty towards the Arabs of Palestine. He used his radio daily
whilst there and allowed anyone who wished to hear it. His radio apparatus
is said to be of a very costly type and can work from one battery for a thou
sand hours.
It is said that last year some of the Aqils of the Hadhramaut visited Ibn
Saud and returned to their country praising the Sultan’s generosity.
Three of the head Sheikhs of the well-known Hadhramaut tribe of Saar,
accompanied Philby to Hejaz to visit the Saudi Sultan.
Philby had with him three Ford cars (two lorries and a four-seater).
He came to the Hadhramaut with the small car and one lorry; the second
lorry was kept at Shubwa.
He was very modest and generous and the Hadhramaut people liked
him very much.
Enclosure 11 to S. No. (1).
Letter from His Highness the Sultan of Shihr and Mukalla, to the
Acting Resident.
After our arrival at Mukalla we interviewed Sheikh ’Abdullah Philby
on several occasions. We gathered from his conversations with us that
he highly praises the Sa’udi Government in a way which signifies a spirit
of propaganda in their favour.
It was clear from information received from the persons with whom he
had interviews both at Mukalla and Hadhramaut, that he had spread pro
paganda in favour of the Sa’udi Government. He also told many persons
that the Sa’udi Government are prepared to render assistance to the Hadh
ramaut if the people ask for it. He also explained that the tribesmen living
beyond A1 ’Abr have all entered into an agreement with the Sa’udi Govern
ment and that no one will dare to interfere with any traveller while on his
way from A1 ’Abr to Mecca. While this does not coincide with the true facts
(because Sheikh Philby himself was not able to pass through the borders
of the tribesmen living beyond A1 ’Abr except by means of an escort from
them) yet propaganda of this nature creates anxiety in the minds of the
people, and this necessitates the taking of precautionary measures.
Similarly the opening of a road for motor traffic between the Hadhra*
maut and Najran in the manner prescribed by Sheikh ’Abdullah Philby calls
for precautionary measures also on account of the results which might be
brought about by the opening of such a route. Apart from the fact that no
65 (C) ExAffaireDept