File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎204v] (417/834)

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Ibn Saud. The loyalty of the last to os in this war, says
Areifan,,is not commonly believed among Arabs. King Husein
has refused grace to Husein Mubeirik till he has committed
himself irretrievably against the Turks.
[ Late News.—Northern Area .—On June 24 the Arabs
captured a complete convoy of ten mules, carrying supplies and
munitions, between Aneza and Jerdun. Further demolitions
have been carried out south of the latter station. On June 30
Maan was heavily bombarded, the reply being weak. There has
been an inter-tribal row between the Howeitat and Beni Sakhr
which lias delayed operations, but is being settled. Desertions
from Maan to Feisal are now from four to five men per diem.
On June 28 the Southern Arab column, composed largely of
Beni Atiyah, captured the station at Kalaat el-Ahmar (Harret el-
Amara) and remained in possession, demolishing rolling-stock and
track. We hope to have further details to record. The above is
all that our air-observers were in a position to see.
Southern Area .—Sherif Abdullah reports that, about
June 27, his demolition column destroyed both rails over a long
stretch of track between Abu ISTaam and Stabl An tar ; and also
all telegraph poles over the same distance.
1
II
Yemen.
The Imani s Claims and Demands.
The Imam Yahya has sent into Aden a fresh batch of
letters, dated May 5. Those addressed to our Resident contain
little but generalities about ancient treaties, ancient friendships,
ancient rights. More illuminating is a letter to his agent, Nagib
Abdel Wahid ibn Ahmed el-Khaulani. In this the Imam says that
he would have attained his “object” long ago, had we given him
assistance (presumably that object was expulsion of the Turks,
but it is not specified). Why do we support Idrisi who falls
back two steps for every one he gains and is hated by all Yemen ?
He himself (the Imam) only wishes to bring peace to his people,
who are of a boorish habit and character ; but to do that he
and our only friend. Therefore he asks
us to aid and abet him to recover all that his forbears ruled,
including the Tihama and the Aden hinterland except Lahej,
which^ last he renounces for the sake of that one just man, the
late Sir Ahmed Fadl. Also he more than hints that he wants
to go forth and conquer a good deal that his forbears did not rule.
1 he plain hint that avc are to choose between the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. and
Idusi, and the demand for an absolutely free hand m territorial
acquisition are new and unwelcome features of this letter. For
the rest the Imam reiterates his former conditions, including
those agreed to by our Resident in his letter of March 20 (which