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'File 61/11 IX (D 159) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous' [72v] (155/391)
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
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2. In point of fact he has not so much given me new material as embroidered
the theme given in his recent " declaration, a copy of which Sii Reader Bullard
enclosed with his secret despatch No. 100 of the 13th November to the Secretary
of State. . . i • •
3. We have, in our talks, made many excursions -into history, the politics
of neighbouring States and so on—and the King s similes have been vivid and
apt—but always he has returned to this same theme, which has, nevertheless,
remained imprecise. I have come to the conclusion that it is meant to be so.
In all his prolonged talks he has never come to a precise conclusion except that
once there was mention of " practical aid to us in case of need. I was interested
to note that Sheikh Yusuf has now added to his oft-repeated remark about our
giving of 60 million to Turkey and not 60 piastres to Saudi Arabia, , We
are ready to be helped.""
4. His Majesty left me at Kharj alone with his Minister of Finance and
the hope that we should spend several days together. He must have been
disappointed that I showed little inclination to investigate the murky depths
of the State's finance.
5. With regard to Arab federation I feel sure that if Ibn Saud felt it
were practical he would not so constantly emphasise to me his dislike of the
Iraqi Government. He would gloss over their mutual troubles; not fasten on
to them.
6. I believe that it is his intention to plant in our minds something like
the following idea :—
" Iraq is unreliable, the French are mismanaging things in Syria,
Palestine is troublesome. The only strong man, Ibn Saud, the c friend of
Britain," who can put this right and bring the Arab States into line, so
that they can make a stand against our enemies is powerless because he has
no modern army and insufficient money.
If we give him £1^ million a year and some modern equipment he
would save the day for us when the time comes."
7. I give one and a half million as a figure because that is the sum
Yusuf Yasin suddenly mentioned one day as likely to be the State's deficit
in the coming year.
8. Sheikh Yusuf also gave me another hint. A promos of quite another
subject to this he said : "You know the King is really always at war. He has
campaigned so much, and had to deal with so many sudden changes in politics,
due to war, that he is quick and impatient even in small things."
9. It would obviously be irksome for such a man as Ibn Saud to continue
evenly on the way of peace without any engagement in the " great opportunity "
now presented.
10. Some remarks dropped in conversation by the intelligentsia of Riyadh,
the North African and Syrian officials of the King's Diwan, lead me to believe
that the Government s finances are in an unhappv condition, but that with
boirowings trom the C.A.S.O.C. [California-Arabia Standard Oil Company],
against tutuie royalties and with economies, with the making of which one of
the officials, Bashir-as-Sadawi, has been specially charged, it should be able
to keep going until the oil royalties begin to come into the Treasury in full
ilood m about two years' time.
11. Subject to any new revelations in this field, I am not of the opinion
that it is necessary to subsidise Ibn Saud, although I think that we should keep
i m mind. If the prices ol food-stuffs rise much we may have to do so, or come
o some helpful arrangement I am writing to you separately about this, a subject
raised by Sheikh Yusuf Yasm. J > j
12. With regard to the bigger issue which the King has raised, I do not
su PP ( f e oJ 10 I f oir J ent ti:iat Hls Majesty's Government intend to go all the way
with him. Should they go part of the way with him ? Is the pictSre drawn for
t L \ ^ T asm - of t he I ram ans supported by Russia turning the flank of
year ? ^ ^ ' what moves do the military authorities anticipate next
T fT W ^ Qf\ c011 ^ ! )e helpful are dependent upon internal
ffJflfH f % • Hltl ] ert0 11 ha s been difficult for him to give any
facilities to foreigners or introduce modern developments, but now with the
fs 011 ^ Can be n0 turni ^ ^ modernisation
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