ملف ١٩١٦/٤٩٣١ "الجزيرة العربية [نجد]: إعانة مالية لابن سعود. دفع إعانة مالية مصرح بها في ١ يناير ١٩١٧. التحقيق في واقعة. مدفوعات تمت من دون موافقة الخزينة" [و‎‎٥‎٤] (٤١٨/١١٦)

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A discussion on the subsidies to Ibn Saud and Hussein followed.
■ . 01 A that Ibn Saud might be unwilling to receive subsidies
uom i( U a m the event of the latter becoming ruler of Mesopotamia. Such a subsidy
wouk , in fact, amount to blackmail on Ibn Sand’s part. He agreed, however, that in
any case i wou c e better if this subsidy took the form of a payment for services
i. en ere m ' ee P m g open the pilgrim routes. His demands would probably increase as
time went on. 1
Phillips enquired whether we should be responsible for the defence of Abdulla
— orot Mesopotamia under the Peace Treaty.
k>L~u>-u to+Tps** ** هذه التواريخ تقريبية
Major Voting thought that this would probably be the case.
Mr. Carr asked whether Ibn Saud did not in actual fact use his subsidy for
warlike preparations against the Hedjaz. If this was the case, did it really tend to
peace to continue to pay it ?
Major Young suggested, in this connection, that Ibn Saud might be given to
understand that his subsidy was conditional on his not attacking the Hedjaz. He
observed that, under the Treaty, the Hedjaz would be independent, and that it would
be very difficult for any one Power to pay a direct subsidy to Hussein. Some form of
subsidy might possibly be paid by us in conjunction with other Powers interested
in the pilgrimage. This would perhaps ultimately take the form of a loan. It would,
in his opinion,* be preferable for Arab rulers to receive assistance by being encouraged
to invest their money in British concerns rather than by being subsidised, but they
had little money available for this purpose. King Hussein could, however, in all
probability, raise money on his oil-bearing and mineral areas if he was guaranteed
from aggression by the people of Nejd.
Sir John Tilley observed that Hussein’s subsidy would thus actually take the form
of a subsidy to Ibn Saud to induce the latter not to attack the Hedjaz.
Mr. Phillips pointed out that Hussein might not appreciate this point of view,
and in any case it appeared that we had continued to pay Ibn Saud when he did attack
the Hedjaz. He doubted the deterrent effect of such a subsidy on Ibn Saud.
Mr. Garhett stated that the India Office did not contemplate stopping Ibn Baud’s
subsidy for the present. Hecent reports indicated that Ibn Saud must have money ;
if not provided therewith there was a danger lest he might go and take it, which he
was well able to do. In spite of his power in this respect, Ibn Saud was anxious to
fall in with His Majesty’s Government’s wishes, and he regarded the subsidy as the
outward sign of their favourable disposition towards him.
Mr. Montgomery said that the subsidy appeared to have been efficacious in
preventing Ibn Saud from attacking the Hedjaz up till now.
Mr. Garbett observed that it was agreed that it would be a very difficult matter to
stop all these payments at once, and that it was admittedly to the interests of the
Empire as a whole to keep the pilgrimage routes open. The only methods of doing this
were by subsidy, a blockade or a military campaign. He thought the subsidy was
probably the cheapest of the three alternatives.
Major Young agreed, and instanced the case of the Imam of Sanaa, who had now
invaded the Aden Protectorate. It might eventually prove cheaper to induce him to
withdraw by payment of a subsidy t han to evict him by military action.
Mr. Phillips observed that the Treasury were not yet convinced of the necessity
nor the continuance of the subsidies.
The question of subsidy to the chiefs of the Persian Gulf was oriefly discussed.
Mr. Garbett said that the India Office might possibly want the whole question of
the Persian Gulf subsidies reconsidered, but that they did not at present contemp ate
the withdrawal of the subsidy from Muscat or Bahrein. I he question of the with
drawal of the lease of Bunder Shwaikh from the Sheikh of Koweit and oi tb^