Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎93v] (187/802)

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shown great caution in introducing the new currency, and local banking circles
attribute the comparative stability of the riyal to that caution. One informant
expressed the opinion recently that the Saudi Government had now accumulated
a satisfactory gold reserve, sufficient to support the riyal at the par rate of 20 to
the gold pound, having received loans, &c., from the various concessionary
concerns working in this country. I
268. The Minister of Finance, Sheikh Abdullah Suleyman, was as active
as ever. His brother, Hamad Suleyman, returned from leave abroad at the end
of the month. A new Director of Finance for Hasa was appointed in the
person of Sheikh Abdullah Qadi, whilst the appointment, one of considerable
interest, was also announced of Najib Ibrahim Salha, the English-speaking
secretary of Sheikh Abdullah Suleyman, to be Director of the newly-formed
“ Office of Public Works,” established as part of the Ministry to deal with the
growing number of foreign concerns in this country.
269. The preoccupations of the Saudi Arabian Mining Syndicate (Limited)
over the discovery of an adequate water supply at the Mahd-ad-Dahab have not
been relieved (paragraph 237). Amongst a number of newcomers in the personnel
of the syndicate is a Swedish geo-physicist (receiving, it is stated, the gentlemanly
salary of £300 a month), and, a more recent arrival, an English water-diviner.
The syndicate, therefore, are taking their problem very seriously. They appeal*
to be equally concerned for the health of their personnel, for there has been a
considerable amount of sickness amongst members of the staff for some months
past. It is understood that a Colonel Mackie, of the Ross Institute for Tropical
Diseases, is due to arrive here shortly in order to investigate health conditions
for European members of the staff at the Mahd and at Wejh. The death of
Mr. Ballard in May (paragraph 168) has been followed, at the end of August, by
that of an Englishman, Mr. W. I). Thomas, lieutenant, R.N. (retired), who only
arrived in Jedda on the 26th as shipwright and head carpenter, and who, it was
learned to the general regret, died on the 28th en route for the Mahd, where he was
buried. Details are lacking, but it is stated that he died from the effects of
the heat.
270. (Reference paragraph 239.) The text of the Red Sea oil concession
was published in the Umm-al-Qura of the 7th August. Premises have already
been taken in Jedda for Petroleum Concessions (Limited) and a manager is
expected to arrive in October.
271. The Jedda office of the California Arabian Standard Oil Company has
been reinforced by the arrival on the 9th of Mr. W. Burleigh (American) as
assistant to Mr. W. J. Lenahan, whom he is ultimately to replace on
Mr. Lenahan’s departure.
272. The Umm-al-Qura of the 14th announced that the Legislative
Assembly had now drawn up the Constitution, consisting of 140 articles, of the
Saudi Arab Kingdom. This production was to be submitted to high authority
(presumably the King) for sanction.
273. The Government announced by an official communique, published on
the 7th August, their ratification of the International Convention for Limiting
the Manufacture, &c., of Narcotic Drugs, signed at Geneva on the 13th July, 1931.
The communique emphasised that the provisions of the convention not only accord
with, but indeed fall short of, what is already enjoined on Islamic authorities by
the Sharia Law.
274. Other appointments announced are : Sheikh Abdurrahman-bin-
Ibrahim-al-Mubarak to be x\mir of Qunfida in the room of Muhammad-bin-Abdul
Aziz-bin-Madhi, who has been transferred to Jizan. Talat Wafa to be officer
commanding police forces of Asir and Najran.
275. More evidence of attention to education has been noted during the
month in the announcement that nine new schools, in different centres in the Hejaz
and Nejd, are being established, and that a night school for the teaching of
English is to be opened in the spring of 1937, the teacher to come from Bagdad.
The Education Department has decided, it is stated, to recruit three teachers in
Egypt, one for English and two for mathematics and physics. There is said to
be a demand for the teaching of English, probably set up by the requirements of
British and American oil and gold companies for English-speaking local
personnel, and though the above may be steps taken to cater for it, there have been
signs, nevertheless, of a tendency on the part of the Saudi authorities to suppress
private teachers of English.