Coll 6/9 'Jeddah Reports Jany 1931–' [‎372v] (745/802)

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Medina in June with a third mobile set and the Egyptian expert. Communica
tion was then established, and it is understood that the party were able to
communicate successfully from as far north as A1 Ula.
11. It had been intended that M. Boucicault should erect the central station
at Riadh, and that the Egyptian expert, having seen him do it, should then erect
the station at Mecca. This rational plan broke down on a decision of the Kiner
not to have M. Boucicault at Riadh. His theory is that, if the Egyptian can dpi
Mecca he can do Riadh. Meanwhile, the King’s principal desire appears to be
to get the station at Qariyat started as soon as possible, doubtless for reasons
connected with 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 situation.
12. On the whole all went well, though slowly, up to the end of June.
There is perhaps some reason to apprehend that Ibn Saud will be disappointed
m the range of the smaller stations, especially if he is counting on an extensive
use of the wireless for telephony, to which it is admirably suited, but for shorter
distances than can be telegraphed over.
A nti-Locust Measures.
13. hollowing on the failure of the steps taken last year (July-August
report, section I, 3 (b)) to induce Ibn Saud to let the International Bureau at
Damascus send a mission to Nejd, the Committee of the Bureau adopted in
February a suggestion that the way for future action might be prepared by
inviting the Hejaz-Nejd Government to adhere to the convention of the 20th May,
1926, in pursuance of which the bureau was created. The French Charg6
d Ahaires at Jedda conveyed this proposal to the Minister for Foreign Affairs
on the 30th April. His Majesty s Minister, having been instructed to act in
conjunction with his Irench colleague, wrote a suitable note on similar lines on
the 10th June. No reply was received up to the end of June.
Legislation.
. ^J le Emm-al-Qura of the 12th June published a report on the
activities of the Legislative Council, since its recognition last year up to the end
ot A H. 1349 (about mid-May 1931). The council furnishes a list of thirty-two
regulations issued and thirty important decisions taken, out of a total number
ot about /00. Perhaps the most interesting item in the report is a list of fifteen
budgets, including those of certain administrations at Mecca and Jedda and a
number of provincial governorates. This affords an indication that although
there is no published general budget, some attempt is made at budgeting in petto
oi paiticulai puiposes. According to Mr. Philby there was in the spring some
thing of a sti uggle between the Legislative Council and the Director-General of
I inance, and the Council had the courage to resist a pretension of Abdullah
buleiman to throw off all control save that of the King.
Ap regulations, &c., issued in the Hejaz is becoming
considerable. It is very difficult to keep track of them because, while many arS
published in the Umm-al-Qura, there is no regular or coherent system of
promulgation Fuad Bey Hamza told Sir A. Ryan in June that a volume of
existing regulations was m preparation. This would be a great boon
16. Among the regulations published in the “ Umm-al-Qura ” during
May-June was one on the trade in fire-arms and carrying of fire-arms by private
persons. The regulation introduces a licensing system for both purposes.
General.
i Economic depression, financial stress, and possibly obscurer political or
tribal political causes, promoted during the period under review the growth of
an uncertain and potentially dangerous internal situation. Discontent and
nervousness were widespread in Mecca and Jedda, and made them more than ever
sounding boards for rumours of trouble elsewhere. Anxious eyes without
telescopes are fixed on 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 and on the country south east
of it, even as far as Medina. Anxious ears are open to every sort of report
however fantastic. ‘‘Jauf has fallen,” people hear, but no one can tell who
knocked it down or who picked it up. “ An-Neshmi has gone over from the Kins'
to the enemy ; a portent, but to w r hat enemy is not stated “ Pamphlets are
being scattered from aeroplanes; so-and-so’s slave is said to have said that he
saw them with his own eyes at Medina”; but what aeroplanes or whose
pamphlets must remain a mystery.