![Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [‎170r] (340/680)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x0002be/IOR_L_PS_12_2163_0342.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [‎170r] (340/680)")
Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [170r] (340/680)
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.
[CYPHER]
INDIA UihfcCT
'2784
^ 1941
DEPARTtffiHTAL NO. 2 .
PROM JEDDA TO FOREIGN OFFICE.
Mr. Stonehewer-Bird D. 4.50 p.m. 20th May, 1941.
N°. 169 R. 9.15 p.m, 20th May, 1941.
20th May, 1941.
Repeated to Foreign New Delhi No. 64.
3.c W. t 7
MOST D^MEDIATE.
^ No, 42 and my immediately succeeding
. I have had several conversations both with
and memhers of Finance Ministry. I am
Jhat wnatever may have been the shortcomings
m the past, there is now no extravagance,
„+ 4 . n Finances of country are in highly critical
state and oil company is unwilling to advance more
than three million dollars of which Saudi Arabian
Government have already drawn half. Income from
pilgrimage and customs dues has dropped almost to
1 ravishing point and Ibn Saud’s expenditure cn his
tribes has had, in the recent critical times, to be
very greatly increased. These subsidiary tribes
taKe the place of the standing army in keeping the
country quiet. ’'ere they to cease Ibn Saud would
inevitably lose grip. Moreover if Ibn Saud does not
pay his tribesmen the Germans may well find means to
CLO SO.
3. Manager of Saudi Arabian Standard Oil
me confidentially, though reac&ng decisior
not to advance more than 3 million dollars this year,
concerned gave it as their considered
opinion that unless financial assistance were given
from other sources, Saudi regime will inevitably collapse
™ 1 8111 convinced agree that the regime
Sppi ^‘ t . colla P?c at this highly critical time and will
operative to furnish immediate aid. It would
5® 0 ^^ m ? ense to the Saudi Government if payment
^lyais now being minted in India were lapsed until
they can conveniently be paid for. I would also urge
irnmpri?A+ U ^k er placed at their credit
nf^thp^pn^+i Tn i s w lJJ. mean i- n a H> "by the end
?9 P 1111 ? 11 referred to is your despatch
L • of J 1939 will have been paid,
nr. to . that in my opinion the
a™* £ lo?* i ^i-g ^j:Z- cri tic a l. Ibn Saud himself and
Amir Faisal ai’e firm Trf^^heir loyalty but thev have not
to lons^unnai* cp^try behind them and German bribes,
might fave P calamitousEffect. mercenar y tribesmen
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [170r] (340/680), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2163, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100046518047.0x00008f> [accessed 4 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100046518047.0x00008f
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100046518047.0x00008f">Coll 6/91 'Saudi Arabia. Policy of H.M.G. Qn. of credits and guarantee of assistance to Ibn Saud.' [‎170r] (340/680)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100046518047.0x00008f"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x0002be/IOR_L_PS_12_2163_0342.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x0002be/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- 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