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Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [72r] (144/680)
The record is made up of 1 file (338 folios). It was created in 24 Oct 1939-1 Jan 1945. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
to make a new arrangement and eventually to put our financial assistance on
fixed basis.
After some further discussion, it was agreed that the details of the
arrangement for sharing in the cost of imported goods would be best discussed
in ( airo tin ough the Middle l^ast Supply Centre. Mr. Wallace Murray under
took to telegraph accordingly. Discussions on currency, however, had better
continue in Washington, and Mr. Wallace Murray said that he would empiiasise
the need for an early and practical conclusion. Similar telegrams would be sent
on the British side.
In the course of fhe discussion Mr. Wallace Murray said he heard Ibn Saud
was upset at our withholding certain proceeds of the pilgrimage. Mr. Pinsent
explained how the pilgrimage had been financed and how' the question had leen
satisfactorily settled.
Financial Adviser.
Sir M. Peterson said that Ibn Saud was seriously worried about the financial
situation and had asked us if we could provide a Sunni Moslem financial adviser.
A Sunni Moslem was required because the Finance Department was in Mecca.
The Government of India had been asked if they could find a suitable Sunni
Moslem, but had not yet found one. He would let Mr. Wallace Murrav know the
outcome.
Mr. Wallace Murray was not previously aware that we had been asked for
a financial adviser, but seemed to have no objection to raise.
Military Advisers .
Sir M. Peterson said that Ibn Saud had also asked us for Sunni Moslems
to act as military advisers to train and establish the Saudi Arabian army on
modern lines. He understood, however, that an American Military Mission was
arnving shortly in Saudi Arabia and he therefore wished to discuss the question
- Mr ' Y allace Murra y- Possibly, if the Sunni Moslems were in Mecca and
Medina, which were two of the principal garrison towns, their work could be
co-ordinated with that of the American officers at Taif. Mr. Wallace Murrav
appeared surprised at this information.
Mr. holder said that the American officers arriving in Saudi Arabia wen
not stnctly speaking, a military mission, but were going to train the Saud
Arabian army in the use of the modern weapons which they were shortly receiving
Mr. Wallace Murray said that he knew that the War Department attachec
much impoitance to this question. He would like fuller information on the whol<
subject. It was agreed that a telegram should be sent to Mr. Jordan asking bin
to hnd out from Ibn Saud what in his view the function of the Sunni Moslen
officers would be, and what would be the relation of their functions to those o
the American officers arriving with Colonel Schomber.
Provision of Arms.
Sir M. Peterson drew attention to the fact that His Majesty’s Government
were providing their 50 per cent, of the arms supplied to Ibn Saud as a °-ift
while the American Government were providing theirs as Lease-Lend ’The
American Government had at one time suggested that all the arms should be
provided on the same basis. So far as His Majesty’s Government were concerned
they did not feel that there was really any practical advantage in not making a
gift ot them, as they were most unlikely ever to get them paid for.
It was agreed to let the situation stand as it is.
About this item
- Content
This file concerns British policy towards Saudi Arabia during the Second World War (the abbreviation 'Qn' in the title stands for 'Question'). The correspondence discusses the question of providing financial or material assistance to Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd], as well as the United States' growing economic and strategic interests in Saudi Arabia.
The file features the following principal correspondents: His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Reader Bullard, Hugh Stonehewer Bird, and Stanley R Jordan successively); the Secretary of State for India (Leo Amery); the Viceroy of India (Archibald Percival Wavell); the Chancellor of the Exchequer (John Anderson); officials of the Foreign Office, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , the Treasury, the Government of India's Finance and External Affairs Departments, and the United States Embassy in London.
Related matters of discussion include the following:
- The idea (initially discussed in correspondence dating from 1939) of an alliance or a bloc of Arab states (chiefly comprised of Saudi Arabia and the Yemen), which would support the Allied cause.
- The Italo-German reaction to Ibn Saud's refusal to receive German diplomat Dr Fritz Konrad Ferdinand Grobba, a decision that was applauded by the British.
- Italian influence in the Middle East.
- Anglo-French co-operation in the Middle East.
- Details of the Saudi Government's finances (i.e. expenditure and revenue) during the early war years.
- Arrangements for loans and payments from the British to the Saudi Government, as well as details of royalties and loans paid to the Saudi Government by the California Arabian Standard Oil Company (Casoc).
- Proposals for an irrigation and agricultural mission to Saudi Arabia, headed by a United States agricultural expert.
- Conversations between Ibn Saud and United States General Patrick Hurley during the latter's visit to Riyadh in May 1943.
- The Government of India's decision in 1942 not to allow pilgrim ships to sail from India to Saudi Arabia, because of a risk of the ships being attacked.
- Ibn Saud's requests in 1944 for the British Government to send to Saudi Arabia financial and military advisers, preferably Sunni Moslems [Muslims].
- The proposed appointment of Ibn Saud's requested financial adviser, which is delayed and eventually abandoned, following the United States' suggestion that the position be given to a United States adviser, because of the United States' 'preponderant interest' in the Saudi economy.
The file includes two dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence (folio 2).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (338 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 339; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 262-286; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [72r] (144/680), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2163, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100046518046.0x000093> [accessed 4 July 2026]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2163
- Title
- Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:36v, 39r:57v, 59r:110v, 113r:182v, 184r:189v, 191r:310r, 311v:339v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence