Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎84r] (168/802)

[856 b—3] B 2
II .—F rontier Questions and Foreign Relations in A rabia.
305. The situation in Palestine continued to absorb the attention of the
politically-minded, but real interest is limited to a relatively small circle in the
Hejaz. Both Meccan newspapers have maintained complete discretion on the
subject during the month, and this may be taken as an index to the Royal policy.
s Mr. Calvert, on the 8 th September, under instructions, communicated unofficially
to Amir Feisal, His Majesty’s Government’s communique issued to the press in
England on that date.
306. I he new Iraqi Charge d'Affaires, Hamdi Bey Sadr-al-Din, to whom a
reference is made at paragraph 294. arrived on the 8 th September.
Ill -—Relations with Powers outside A rabia.
307. Sir Reader Bullard arrived in H.M.S. Londonderry on the 14th
September to take up his duties as His Majesty’s Minister in succession to
Sir Andrew Ryan. He presented his credentials to the Amir Feisal on the
21 st September.
308. ^ No matters of importance came up for discussion between His
Majesty s Legation and the Minister for Foreign Affairs until the last day of
the month, when Sheikh \usuf Yasin came to Jedda from Riyadh and proposed
that the Saudi Slavery Regulation should be published in the Umm-al-Qura on
Friday, the 2 nd October, and that the exchange of notes regarding the Treaty of
Jedda should be effected as soon after as possible. It may be mentioned here, in
anticipation of the October report, that the programme proposed was adopted
and that the notes were exchanged on the 3 rd October.
309. The Saudi Government intend to be represented at the coronation of
His Majesty King Edward VIII by a high personage, but before deciding whom
to designate, they propose to find out what sort of delegations are to be sent by
“ other Arab States,” e.g.. Egypt and Iraq.
310. The Imperial Airways air-liner Horsa, referred to at paragraph 283 of
the last report, was successfully repaired and returned to Bahrein on the
12th September. Notice of the forced landing had been sent to the Saudi
authorities, but it could be argued that this was not necessary, since the region
where the Horsa landed, viz., 40 miles due south of Salwa Wells, lies outside°the
territory admitted by His Majesty’s Government as belonging indisputably to
Saudi Arabia and in an area which has for some time been a subject of discussion
between the two Governments.
311 Another case of forced landing occurred in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. when two
R.A.F. machines were obliged to make an emergency landing on the 29th September
on the Hasa coast, near Ras-al-Khanliya (or Khaliya). about 60 miles north-west
of Bahrein. The aircraft were able to take off again a little more than one hour
later, after the necessary repairs had been effected. The customarv official note
expressing regret was addressed to the Saudi Arab Government.
312. An article appeared in the local press expressing satisfaction at the
conclusion of the Franco-Syrian Treaty as another step on the road to the indepen
dence of Arab territories and eventual Arab union. The article appeared in the
Saut-id-Hejaz, which official pretence alleges to be unofficial, and it was signed by
a name of no importance, but like everything else that is published in the local
press it can be taken as the official view. No reference is made in the article to
the Palestine problem, which the Saudi newspapers have consistently ignored
except to the extent of publishing lists of sums collected for sufferers in Palestine.
Indeed, His Majesty's Government even come in for a compliment, for having
granted the Egyptians more favourable terms than the French have granted to the
Syrians. But the article is of general application and the Arab reader will
naturally ask why what is good for Egypt and Syria and Iraq should not be good
for Palestine.
313. M. Persico, the Italian Minister, left suddenly for Eritrea on the
30th August, without informing his colleagues. He returned on the
18th September. He told His Majesty’s Minister that he had had an interesting
motor-car trip of some 400 miles with the Governor of Eritrea, from Asmara into
Ethiopia. He stated that the Moslems looked contented, but the Coptic priests
sulky. The sulks he attributed to loss of income due to recent events, but his vice-
consul, M. Bellini, hastened to explain that the Italian authorities would sub-