Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎79v] (159/802)

reliable, would also account for the fact that the machine which the French
Government gave to Ibn Sand is never seen or heard of.
377. The belief that the Saudi eagles” trained in Italy would be less
likely to cleave the empyrean with bright wing than to make a mess in the eyrie
is confirmed from no less important a source than Said Bey-al-Kurdi, CommandanH^-
of Jedda. During a courtesy visit which was paid to him by Commander Bowen
of H.M.S. Weston, the conversation turned to aviation, which Said Bey said
would be of the greatest use to Saudi Arabia, both for ordinary administrative
purposes and as a means of controlling the tribes. He then broke out into a
violent tirade, which, although nominally against all young Arabs educated
abroad, was obviously aimed at the newly-returned “eagles.” Such people, he
said, were good for nothing but to live a life of luxury and try to teach their
grandmothers to suck eggs. They expected pay, food,'clothes and servants on
European scales, but to work as men work in Europe was the last thing they
would do. He declared that he disapproved entirely of the despatch of young
Saudis to foreign countries to be educated or trained; he thought it much better
that foreign instructors should be brought to Saudi Arabia.
378. The Saut-al-Hejaz continued in a recent article its attack (para
graph 338) on heavy dowries as a hindrance to matrimony, and referred to
measures taken in other countries to encourage marriage by penalising the
unmarried and rewarding the others for their “ humanitarian and patriotic
zeal.”
II .—F rentier Questions and Foreign Relations in A rabia.
379. Saudi Arabia was wondering whether the change of Government in
Iraq would mean a change of policy towards this country, but. as if to calm such
apprehensions, the new Iraqi foreign Minister, Dr. Naji-al-Asil (referred to in
the Saudi press as “ Saiyid ” Naji), went to Riyadh almost immediately, and on
the 13th November exchanged ratifications with the Amir Feisal of the Treaty of
Arab Brotherhood and Alliance. On the 16th November an agreement on the
subject of passports and laissez-passers was signed by the two foreign Ministers.
Commenting on the ratification of the treaty, the Saut-al-Hejaz proposes that
there should also be ‘ 1 economic unity, with the organisation of the industrial,
agricultural and commercial relations which that would involve.”
380. During 1936 the Saudi Government have sent in several written
complaints of alleged violation of Saudi territory by the armed forces of
Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan . In replying recently to one of these complaints, the Legation
suggested that better results would be attained if the frontier officials would use
the method of direct communication provided for in the Bon Voisinage An agreement or treaty based on principles of 'good neighbourliness', often signed between countries which share borders. Agree
ment of 1933. The suggestion was repeated to Fuad Bey by His Majesty’s
Minister, who said that, on our side, we had frequently had grounds for serious
complaint, but had preferred to leave it to time and experience to convince the
Saudi authorities of the good faith of the Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan frontier officials and their
readiness to co-operate with the officials of Saudi Arabia, On the apparently
simple point of local co-operation Fuad Bey showed an inability or unwillingness
to understand that suggests the presence of some deep suspicion of our motives,
or of the motives of the Government of Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan . A similar impression was
conveyed by Fuad Bey’s manner when the discussion turned to the question of
the line of the frontier between Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan and Nejd. Not long before he left.
Sir Andrew Ryan summed up the negotiations on this point in a letter to Sheikh
Yusuf Yasin, which showed how close together the opposing views had been
brought. Sheikh Yusuf Yasin had promised to reply in writing, but eventually
said that the matter required further study. According to Fuad Bey, he himself
was in favour of the despatch of the written reply prepared by Sheikh Yusuf
Yasin, but Ibn Sand suppressed it, and, after communication with Riyadh, Fuad
reports that the Saudi Government still require “certain information ” before
they can continue the discussion.
381. There seems to be much bazaar talk about the Yemen, but it is difficult
to decide how much of it is based upon information, correct or incorrect, received
direct from the Yemen, and how much upon reports in Egyptian papers founded
upon a recent article in the Times. There is a general belief, however, that Ibn
Saud is keeping a close watch upon events in the Yemen, and it is even reported
that he will leave Riyadh early this year and stay at Ashaira until the beginning