"ملف 8/15 سلسلة الجزيرة العربية - ١٩٣٣-١٩٣٩" [ظ‎‎١‎٥‎٧] (٤٣٤/٣١٤)

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gazelles and they killed one. They also went to the lower part of Jedan
belonging to the Ahl Dhabab. It may not be hidden from your honour
that the people of that part of the country were disturbed and frightened
on account of this Saudian raid against the Protectorate with the consent
of the British Government. But if they (British Government) are backing
us, we do not care either for the Sa’udi or Imam. A letter prior to this has
been sent to you and we hope it has reached you. Every tribesman is afraid
of Sa’udi incursions and the subjects only want those who will look into the
maintenance of peace whether they be the British Government or any Isla
mic Government.
Enclosure 16 to S. No. (1).
Letter from Seiyid Nasir bin Muhshin of Markka one of the Aqils
of Markka nominally under the Upper Aulaqi Sultan, to the
Political Secretary, Aden, dated 14th October 1936.
We inform you, oh friend, that two lorries arrived as far as the borders
of Markha. They asked us for permission to enter our country and to have
an interview with us. We declined to grant their requests. They say that
they belong to Najd and have come on behalf of Bin Sa’ud.
Enclosure 17 to S. No. (1).
Letter from the Acting Besident, Aden, to the Secretary of State
for the Colonies, No. 544, dated 4th November 1936.
„ I have the honour to submit a copy of a letter received from the Kine
of the Yemen on the subject of Mr. Philby’s recent journey to the Hadhramaut
in the course of which it now appears that he travelled without leave through
Yemeni territory. ®
2. Captain Seager, who has now returned to Aden from his visit to San’a
reports that the King has been both offended and alarmed by Mr Philbv’s
passage through his country. It is well known that the King has the strongest
objection to the entry of any foreigners into any part of the Yemen without
his previous knowledge and permission, and this Residency is always careful
to respect his wishes in this respect. Mr. Philby’s arrival within Yemeni
borders without authority having been obtained or even sought is therefore
both an affront to the Yemeni Government and an embarrassment to the Aden
Residency, through which the visists of British subjects to the Yemen are
usually arranged. His inconsiderate and discourteous action has become
a more serious offence through the fact that he was accompanied by an armed
party and that he appears to have indulged in propaganda unfriendly to
lemem interests. Ihese circumstances suggest a challenge on his part to
\emem Sovereignty over the districts mentioned in the King’s letter to me.
3. The districts in question are A1 Jof and Marlb. These have been
m Temem occupation since 1926 and 1927 respectively. They lie to the south
ol the Saudi-Yemeni frontier established by the Treaty of Taif in 1934
and are well to the north of the boundary of the Aden Protectorate. There
appears therefore to be no valid reason to question the Yemeni claim to them
winch has been enforced in fact for several years, and it is prejudicial to
good Anglo-lemeni relations that this claim should appear to be disputed
ky f British subject, and especially by one who was formerly in the service
ol the British Government and who is still regarded by many Arabs as occn
Pymg a quasi-representative position in Saudi Arabia.
4. Lieut-Col on el Lake has represented to you in his despatch of 30th
September the unfortunate effect of Mr. Philby’s incursion into Shabwa
and the Hadhramaut and of his disregard of the line which has for manv
years been accepted by His Majesty’s Government as being the northern
boundary of the Aden Protectorate in that area; and I hope that it will be
possible for His Majesty s Government to indicate in some unmistakable
manner m respect of both the Yemen and the Aden Protectorate that they
wholly condemn Mr. Philby’s mischievous adventure. y