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" [ظ‎‎١‎٦‎٥] (٤١٨/٣٣٩)

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Treasury, it seems desirable that they should be in possession
of full and exact figures under all heads. These are
doubtless ascertainable from Baghdad or Delhi,
b- For the failure to obtain renewed Treasury sanction,
this Office must, I think, be held primarily responsible. The
Government of India in their telegram of 7th December 1916
asked for sanction to grant Emir Bin Baud a subsidy of £5000
per mensem, without suggesting any particular period for its
duration. Then comes the Treasury Order of 1st January
1917, granting the subsidy for six months; but this Office’s
telegram of 4th January 1917 to the Government of India runs
“Your proposal approved”, without mentioning the limitations to
six months. It is clear from the sequel that the Government
of India took this as an authority to continue payment until
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receipt of orders to stop payment - which orders they have not
yet received.
1. It is worth noting (1) that the actual Treasury
sanction was communicated (by post) to the Government of India,
though without special instructions (2) that a copy of this
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Office telegram to the Government of India was communicated
to the Foreign Office. Either thejflE communications were
not noticed (being treated as mere routine) or their
implications were overlooked. In any case, I hardly think
that either circumstance is enough to clear this Office of
primary responsibility.
The Financial Department does not appear to have seen
the telegram of 4th January 191J at the time of its despatch.
(Papers (1) (2) (3) and (4)).
^ The financial aspect of His Majesty’s Government’s
relations with Bin Baud came up again in January 1918,
culminating in a telegram addressed by this Office to the
Viceroy on 14th January 1910 to the effect that it will suffice
for the present to dole out such small sums of money to Bin
Baud as are thought desirable. Lord Hardinge has initialled
* (on
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