Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎65r] (130/802)

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/* Honour ” from Egypt was received at Jedda with fitting ceremony and respect,
but does not mention the word “ Mahmal.” The same paper records the formal
taking over of the Kiswa in Mecca by the Director of Waqfs, the Keeper of the
Kaba Keys and the president of the Haram Committee. It states that
“ speeches suitable to the place ” were exchanged, but a member of the Legation
+* * *** staff reports that there was no crowd present and that the Kiswa was taken over
with little ceremony and at once hurried into the Haram. Later, however, the
mission was received by the King, and its President delivered a speech which
was published in the Umm-al-Qura. It will be interesting to see whether the
Egyptian Parliament will consider that they have had a fair return for the
sum of over £E. 30,000, which they voted for the mission this year.
90. The Iranian Legation was reopened only three weeks before the Hajj,
when the secretary arrived from Egypt for the purpose. His chief only arrived
a few' days before the Hajj. The secretary, who may be supposed to have been
voicing official opinion, spoke of the journey of Iranian pilgrims to Mecca as a
dead financial loss to their country. Only twenty-one Iranian pilgrims are shown
in the Saudi statistics as having entered the country via Jedda, but the full
number of Iranians will not be known until the figures for the Najaf-Medina
route are published.
91. The Turkish Charge d’Affaires finds that he has to live down various
scandals created by his military predecessor, Celal Arat, who imported duty-free
“ enough petrol to run his own car for fifty years ” and supplied large numbers
of residents in Jedda, most of them Moslems, with duty-free whisky. Celal Arat
also confounded his Italian colleague by alternately displaying with emotion the
photograph of his wife in Turkey, who is “ the most this and the most that,” and
so conducting himself towards a lady of the Italian community that her husband
beat her over the head with an electric torch appropriately named “ Ever-ready.”
Celal Bey is now a Deputy in the Turkish Parliament.
IV.— Miscellaneous.
92. Mr. Rendel, of the Foreign Office, and Mrs. Rendel, who are to pay a
visit to Saudi Arabia in response to an invitation conveyed by the Amir Saud
when he was in England in 1935, are expected to reach Uqair from Iraq about
the 6 th March. Accompanied by the Saudi Minister in London they will cross
Arabia to Jedda, staying a day or two at Riyadh, and perhaps at Hofuf and Taif,
on the way.
93. It is with great regret that we record the departure, on transfer, of
Mr. A. S. Calvert, who has been the mainstay of two successive Ministers for
four years, and has been in charge of His" Majesty’s Legation for periods
amounting in all to over eighteen months.
94. Mr. Philby (see also paragraph 82) returned from his expedition to the
south on the 17th February. Regarded merely as a physical feat, the journey
must be considered remarkable. Fatigue and illness would have carried off many
a man less obstinate than Mr. Philby. He has acquired a great deal of
information, which, if only the writing could be done by someone else, would make
an extremely interesting book. In his articles in the Times, Mr. Philby mentions a
German explorer, Hans Hellfritz, as having visited Shabwa before" him. This
visit is recorded in an excellent French translation : “ Au Royaume de Saba,”
published, with very good illustrations by Grasset (Paris), at 18 fr.
95. H.M.S. Londonderry paid a visit to Jedda which lasted from the 19th
to the 25th February. Thirteen of the Somali members of the crew were able to
make the pilgrimage.
96. A 32-foot yacht, the Idle Hour, in which a young American named
Dwight Long is sailing round the world, spent a few days in Jedda Harbour in
February. Mr. Long is not attempting to vie with his illustrious predecessor.
Captain Slocum, by travelling alone. He had carried from Ceylon as crew two
Englishmen, Mr. Milton, a tea-planter, and Mr. Collins, a student.
97. The pilgrimage on the 20 th February is reported to have been a
complete success. The number of pilgrims who arrived by sea was just under
50,000 (49,597), i.e., some 17,000 more than last year, and to this must be added
some who travelled via Iraq. It had been stated that the King had invited the
Nejdis to come on the pilgrimage and that 40,000 were coming, but the number
who came was 8,000 to 10,000 at most. The Indians kept the lead with over