File 2182/1913 Pt 4 'Persian Gulf: Policy towards Bin Saud (Capt. Shakespear's Mission)' [‎82v] (162/426)

Sand was asked to defend Basrah and faint against British advance. _
Bin KtsWd and Anaizah were to join western tribes in advance on Sinai
Pem Sharif ofSJlmam, and Idrisi were to defend Yemen Hedjaz and holy
1 Bin Saud, Sharif and^smzah decided to hold together and latter tribe
promised to join in opposition ra^B'.n Bashid. _
According to reliable information from other sources instructions to Bm
Sand from Enver Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. were accompa^ by 10,000 pounds for his expenses.
In reply to Turks he expressed Msdnability to be reconciled with in
Kashid and pretended that owing to latter’s hostS^w he could not come nor
at once to protect Mesopotamia and thus leaveltqd unpiotected but
wait until Bin Rashid moved on Egypt; he thus ay^d co-operation with
Turks and took a line which in no way prejudiced JintisH m^eiests.
Bin Bashid has four Turkish officers with him hut no is m weak
position and Bin Sand is now on his way to attack him and hopes, to round
him up by end of January if he has not moved too far westward. ^
Captain Shakespear apparently contemplates remaining with him ace
ing to the original instructions received from me.
19
Telegram P., No. 69-B., dated the 16th (received 17th) January 1915.
Prom— Sir Percy Ccx ; Basrah,
To The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Delhi.
My immediately preceding telegram. Following is attitude of Bin Saud
vis a vis British Government.
Being ultimately disappointed of our intervention in his behalf in April
1914 he was obliged to come to an understanding \vith the Turks sufficient to
secure his immunity from their aggression. His hope oi material support
were somewhat revived by intimation in October 1914 that Captain Shakespear
was being deputed to him with message from British Government, but without
possessing a definite treaty with us he could not in any case have responded in
a direct way to our later request that he should advance on Basrah even had
there been time. Failing that, however, he endeavoured to take such a line of
action as would indirectly further our policy without bringing him irrevocably
to a rupture Turkey.
Neither can he now commit himself any further until he possesses signed
treaty giving him a solid guarantee of his position under aegis of Great Britain.
He is already embarrassed by difficulty of his present position. If the treaty is
not soon concluded he fears that force of circumstances may drive him to give
some overt demonstration of his intention side with Turks.
On the other hand, directly it is concluded he can be depended on to come
off the fence and use all his resources and influence on our side. In order to
expedite a settlement, Bin Saud submits a memorandum in which he sets down
his ideas tentatively as a basis for formulation of a treaty.
Following is a brief summary of conditions as numbered by him :—
More follows.
Second section of telegram.
Firstly .—Bin Saud shall he recognised as independent ruler of Nejd Hasa
and Katif with dynasty guarantee and free from interference on the part of
any foreign power.
Secondly .—Boundaries of above territories in all directions shall he deter
mined and in case of disputes arising between his tribesmen andjothers under
British protection decision shall be in accordance with ancestral rights.