File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎35r] (78/834)

from strong, as many incidents in recent years have conclusively
proved, in putting all our money on Sir Ghalib, we are bound
to withstand kathm progress and thereby cannot but offend the
susceptibility of Arabs in the East Indies. We have never
admitted the validity or existence of the Sultan’s absolute rule
over the Kathiri, or, indeed, the fact of the extended influence—
which he asseits does exist in his own Hinterland ; but we have
assented to his acquiring what authority he can by the tactful
use of largesse. It is manifestly better to have one ruler, if
stiong, than several; but the genius of the Arab peoples is
diametrically opposed to our wish, and Makalla is too far from
Aden for our power to be fully known there and exercised.
Sultan Sir Ghalib is little more than a nominal ruler, and the
sooner we recognise facts, the sooner will intrigues there cease,
and Hadramaut begin to develop ; and only then may we hope
to have the Arabs in the East Indies content.
A local Post Office and Telegraph Office in Hadramaut
would largely benefit the Hadramis, who earn their livelihood in
Java and Singapore. It would, of course, at the same time
make Hadramaut less dependent on Aden, looking to the
Treaties as they to-day stand. Curiously enough, the suggestion
came from Sir Ghalib himself in the early part of 1914 ”.
ARABIA.
Nejd.
Visit to Riyadh.
The following has been received through the Chief Political
Officer, Baghdad, from Dr. P. W. Har rison, of the American
Medical Mission, Bahrein, who went up to Riyadh, in August
last, on a professional visit to Ibn Saud :—
“ The trip to Riyadh is not an extremely hard one, even in
summer, unless the effort is made to travel very rapidly. From
Hassa to Riyadh the journey may be done in six or seven days in
comparative comfort and in the spring it would be a pleasure. Most
of the territory passed over seems utterly barren, but the strip of
sandy desert, or £ Dahana ’ as the Arabs call it, abounds in
excellent forage. This serves to support nothing more than
thousands of gazelle ; but if an occasional well could be sunk in
this area the number of sheep, camels, etc., that could be raised
would be almost unlimited.
The country from Hassa to Abu Jifan and from there to
Riyadh (this was the road travelled both going and returning),
contains nothing which suggests any mineral resources to an
untrained eye. In places the country is somewhat rough, more
particularly between Abu Jifan and Riyadh, but no mountains
are seen, nothing indeed, more than comparatively low hills.