'File 61/11 IX (D 159) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous' [54r] (118/391)
The record is made up of 1 volume (192 folios). It was created in 4 Apr 1939-16 Jan 1942. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE P ROPERTY OF his britannic majesty's gove rnment
uTifiiMRESIOENCY \
= December 22. 1939.
<5\
EASTERN (A rabia)
CONFIDENTIAL.
[E 8085/549/25]
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S ection 1.
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Copy No. 10 i
Sir R. Bullard to Viscount Halifax.—{Received December 22.)
My Lord! Jedda, November 30, 1939.
THE foreign policy of this country, that is to say, of Ibn Saud, has been
fully dealt with in despatches written since my recent return from Riyadh and
a brief note on the armed forces of Saudi Arabia is being sent by this bag. I now
have the honour to submit a short report on the internal situation, to round on
the position of Saudi Arabia before leaving for another post. ! here is little m
it that has not been said before in despatches from Jedda.
2 Few countries in the world can have a better record for the maintenance
of law and order than Saudi Arabia has at the present time. The only crime ot
violence that I have heard of for months was a case of rape and murder, wliich
was recently punished at Riyadh by the execution of three men m the public
square. Theft and robbery continue to be punished with a Quranic seventy
which makes the immunity enjoyed by highly-placed embezzlers of public moneys
rather repulsive. What is most remarkable is the complete suppression ox the
tribal raid and blood-feud. There is no evidence of the effect which this is havmg
or may have in the long run. ft may be suppressing feelings which will bieak
out as soon as the hand of Ibn Saud is weakened or removed. It must be causmg
an increase of population, which sooner or later must find a livelihood out.
the narrow limits of desert pasturage. The oil industry in ^® sa ^3 ^ f r JJ
considerable number (I believe that it already employs over and
attempts are being made to utilise existing water supplies to f
to find fresh ones, so that there may be a demand for more cultivators. How fa
the new opportunities for making a livelihood will keep pace with the expected
orowth in the population must be a matter of speculation.
3 I have reported more than once, as a matter for regret, the weakness of
Ibn Saud's regime in the matter of administration. Ihe King is evidently a
past-master mdesert politics and in the maintenance of aw and order even in
places so unruly as Asir. and. in spite ot his !ac „ k / f .P® rs °^^ v e ^S ®"^ egs
the outside world he grapples with the problems of foreign policy with success.
But he seems to have So conception of the importance of revenue and fin nc
side of the administration to the common people, and leaves to mexper
and venal officials, whose only unpardonable crime w f ll ^. be n ^>? ep - t th ® n „ t
short of money. In justice to the King, however, or to his 0^1^ it
recorded that he suggested m August that a ^ atl0 "f ' f ^ he s au( ji
should be established in this country to . op ®I a t of war induced
T dl :
beneficial effect Re market in Jedda : t^ ^
temporary measure, by 20 per cent., rat navment of the
imnnrtpr to store his goods without charge, and to postpone payment 01 cue
impoitei to store nib g<HJu» o the Governmellt even offered
customs dues on them, until he can sell , stuffs ordered
a? 2 sks:
StTrorn 1 BwS" 'it ^rrXblv b, found th,t peopl. lib .h. Mim.ir «(
f n?.£?"h2s y..uf y asm, mt a. b-f. <"»'tls fsxmvz
UnH hnV it U somethins that production has not been entirely torgoiten in une
delight of spending. tk«
[780 y-1]
.1
About this item
- Content
The volume consists of letters, telegrams, and reports relating to the affairs of Saudi Arabia. Most of the correspondence is between the British Legation in Jeddah, the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Bushire, the Foreign Office in London, the Political Agencies in Kuwait and Bahrain, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. in London, and the Government of India.
The volume covers the build up to and outbreak of the Second World War and thus much of the correspondence focuses on this subject. Topics include:
- the activities of the Germans, Italians, and Japanese in the region;
- Ibn Sa'ud's allegiance to Britain and the Allies;
- Ibn Sa'ud's anxiety about Hashemite dominance in Syria and potential attack from hostile Arab nations;
- anti-Allied sentiment in the region;
- the financial and political contribution of the United States of America.
Other subjects covered by the volume are:
- the maintenance of law and order in the Kingdom;
- the presence of community feeling and national identity;
- Captain De Gaury's journeys in Saudi Arabia, including a report on agricultural development at Kharj, and the objection to his proposed tour of all of Arabia;
- Amir Sa'ud's trip to India for medical treatment;
- the anti-British activities of St John Philby and his subsequent arrest in India.
At the back of the volume (folios 177-186) are internal office notes.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (192 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged chronologically.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The sequence starts on the first folio and continues through to the inside back cover. The numbering is written in pencil, circled, and located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. The first three folios are marked 1A, 1B, and 1C respectively, then the sequence continues from 2 as normal. There is one other foliation system, written in pencil and inconsistent.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/572
- Title
- 'File 61/11 IX (D 159) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 1r:1v, 1br:1cv, 2r:43r, 44v:58v, 60r:166r, 166r:189v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence