File 2182/1913 Pt 4 'Persian Gulf: Policy towards Bin Saud (Capt. Shakespear's Mission)' [‎45v] (87/426)

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and extensive sums, these are all directed against the exalted British Govern-
naent. He asked us, accordingly, for guarantee to be friendly with him, so
that he may benefit his Government and that the latter may gain its ends m
the Iraq. But we are persistent in refusing to be friendly with him, unless he
does what we do, follows our example and assures us that he will not oppose
the exalted Government in those respects and will not oppose the said Govern
ment in regard to Iraq, as is consistent with the interests of both parties. As
to aggressions that might take place by the sea, these are impossible as I fully
rely upon the exalted Government.
TV^e invoke Divine help to enable you and us to succeed in using such
endeavours as may conduce to the exaltation and prosperity of the two
nations, viz., the British and the Arabian, and beg of Your Excellency to
continue your sincere friendliness and to gladden us with the news of your
good health and of the successes obtained by the exalted Government.
This is what was necessary to be stated and may you remain preserved
and greeting.
Dated the 9th Jamadi II, 1333 (24th April 1915).
From— Abdul Aziz bin Abdur Rahman-al-Faisal as Saud,
To—The Hon'ble Sir Percy Cox, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and His
Britannic Majesty's Consul-General.
After compliments .—We have duly received your esteemed communica
tion containing your kind remarks regarding the Treaty which we desired to
conclude between ourselves and the exalted British Government for confirm
ing the friendly relations which have existed for a long time, and forwarding
therein a draft of Treaty sent by Your Honour and a letter from His Excellency
Lord Hardinge, representative of His Imperial Majesty the King of Great
Britain and Emperor of India. These were received in your valued letter and
we understood their contents (viz.) that the illustrious Government have
appointed Your Honour as their plenipotentiary in concluding the friendly
Treaty; and we have full confidence that the said matter will be settled in a
satisfactory manner. Certain modifications (which are not important) were
found necessary for cogent reasons, necessitated by local conditions, the need to
reassure the inhabitants and the governing family of the Bin Saud, and also in
view of the knowledge we possess as to the circumstances of the Arabs. We
beg to inform Your Honour of the latter’s present disposition. They are divided
into three sections, viz-, one, those who assist the Turkish Government for
the sake of worldly objects, so that they may be allowed to participate with
the authorities of the said Government in oppression and high-handedness and
attain their objects from her by this means; another, those to whose chiefs
the said Government sends considerable sums in order to deceive them and
win them over so that they may be tools in her hands for her hostile actions
against her neighbours in the Arabian regions ; and the third, those who bind
themselves to her on the pretext of Islamism wdiich they put forward but
which is devoid of truth, as they have failed to properly judge the real signi
ficance of the affair. We are, however, alive to the situation and use our
efforts and endeavours as far as possible to bring them to our path and treat
each of them in accordance with his condition and position, as was represented
to you by our late lamented friend, Captain Shakespear. For instance, in the
case of people such as Ibn Bashid and the like, we make war against them for
their refusal to listen to our advice; parties such as the Sharif, we treat with
advice and exhortations; people such as the headmen of the nomads, e.g., Ibn
Shaalan and such like, we treat with good graces and favours ; and to those of
them who are hostile we mete out punishment and chastisement. The object of
all this is that they should have no alliance with the Turks, that their (the
Turks’) prestige should be broken, and that she should not succeed in her
clumsy politics, which means the instigation of the Arabs against one another.