"ملف ١١/٢ يوميّات وتقارير: سلسلة الجزيرة العربية" [و‎‎٣‎٦] (٢٢٢/٧١)

would whole-heartedly support the scheme. But the Waziria Committee is
lethargic. The all-powerful Minister of Finance is believed to be hostile to the
scheme because its fruition would necessitate the closing down of the condensers
which at present supply the town and would thus deprive him of one small but
certain source of revenue. The local merchants on the committee aie tai too
much in awe of him to act effectively. M hilst, therefore, the yield of certain
municipal taxes has been voted for furthering the scheme and thei e is some
talk of a future levy on pilgrims, no efforts are being made to raise on adequate
sum for the purpose, and the labours of the well-meaning Dehlavi seem doomed
to be stifled through lack of funds.
4. I am sending a copy of this despatch to the Principal Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs, Department of Overseas Trade.
( 12 )
{Received on 17th February 1934, with Political Secretary's letter No. 5, dated
1st February 1934.)
Enclosure in Foreign Office covering letter, dated 30th January 1934.
Letter from H. M.’s Charge d’affaires, Jedda, to Foreign Office, No. 360,
DATED THE 12TH DECEMBER 1933.
With reference to my despatch No. 332 of the 5th instant [Serial No. (5)],
relative to the visit of an Egyptian commercial and financial mission, under the
leadership of Talaat Pasha Narb, to this country, I have the honour to report
that the members of the mission left by air for Yenbu on the morning of the 10th
December, intending to journey by car thence to Medina and, returning the second
day, to resume their flight to Egypt.
2. The programme followed whilst they were in this country conformed
closely to that reported in my despatch under reference. Talaat Pasha Narb
left Jedda bv car on the 6 th December for Mecca, where he was entertained by
Amir Feisal,* Sheikh Abdullah Suleiman and Sheikh Abdullah-bin-Muhammad- el-
Fadhl, and returned on the 8 th, when he dined with Mr. and Mrs. Philby.
3. The results of the visit, in so far as they are known, or partially known,
may be stated under the following heads :—
{a) Banque Misr. —T am informed by the manager of Messrs. Gellatly,
Hankey and Co. (Sudan) (Limited), that his firm have been given,
for the time being, the agency of the Banque Misr as regards its
purelv banking business. Mr. Warner expressed fhe opinion, how
ever, that it would not be long before the Banque Misr established
a branch of their own in this country.
{b) Local Representation for Pilgrim Ships.—It is understood that this
has been given to the local firm of Messrs. Haji Abdullah Ali Ridha.
It was stated on the 8 th December that, although no written agree
ment had at the time been signed, yet Talaat Pasha Narb had
definitely promised the representation of this shipping interest to
the local firm. Mr. Warner, in this connexion, stated that his firm
had been given the handling of the money of Egyptian pilgrims,
probably qua agents of the Banque Misr.
(c) Pilgrimage by Air from Egypt. —It it believed that this question has
received some consideration during the stay of the mission, though I
am unaware of the result, if any. I have received the impression
that the Saudi Arab Government have not proved very receptive to
this idea.
(d) Sale of Egyptian Products.—1 am not at present in possession of
information on the activities of the mission in regard to the
organisation of the sale of Egyptian products. The gratis distribu
tion of such goods, to which I referred in my last despatch, was, I
find, not confined to the poor alone, but was liberally used as com
mercial ground-bait in business circles as well.
4 . T am sending copies of this despatch to the Principal Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs, Department of Overseas Trade, and to His Majesty’s High
Commissioner in Cairo.
Lc49FD