File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎294v] (597/834)

12 —
King Husein, be said, disdains to be regarded merely as a
claimant amongst claimants, like the Imam of Yemen. He
prefers, therefore, that any initiative in the matter should come
from the Moslem world at large.
In this connection it is interesting to note that, at an enthu
siastic “ Baia” held recently at the Mosque of el-Omar in Jeru
salem, he was hailed as Calif, the ceremony being formally
ratified by the preaching of the sermon in his name. This fact
is, however, not being published till his wishes have been
ascertained.
The Akaha Incident.
In the middle of December a split occurred between the
Syrian and Baghdadi elements at Akaba. The immediate cause
of it was King Husein’s supercession of Abd el-Wahab, Arab mili
tary governor of the town, by Kadi Abdul Rahman.
Abd el-Wahab appears to have surrounded himself with
Baghdadi officials, and his removal was due to the persistent
report that he was indulging in extensive peculation. The change
was clearly necessary, but Abdul Rahman’s methods on arrival
were so tactless that he fomented rather than remedied the unrest.
He at once appointed junior Syrian officers to audit Wahab’s
accounts, eliminating all the Baghdadis; and by his general beha
viour gave offence to Sheikh Yusef el-Khosherim, who has for
some time held a rather anomalous but apparently influential
position as Feisal’s civil representative.
The quarrel between the Syrian and Baghdadis which ensued
became serious and extended to Maan. The British Commandant
become anxious lest it should affect the Indian forces, or be the
signal for a general attempt to eliminate Mesopotamian officials
from Syria. In answer to an enquiry he was instructed to
remain neutral in his attitude, merely impressing upon Abdul
Rahmant that the keeping of order was one of his primary
duties.
It was decided finally that the best solution would be to
send representatives of both sides to state their case before
Jaafar Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. at Maan or Emir Zeid at Damascus. Accordingly
Emir Zeid, on December 22, ordered Abd el-Wahab and Dr. Mah
mud Hamdi, Abdul Rahman’s chief supporter, to report to him
immediately. When, however, arrangements for their journey
were complete, the whole situation was altered by the arrival
from King Husein of Ibrahim Hakki Bey, with instructions to
institute an official enquiry into Abd el-Wahab’s accounts.
Zeid s orders were therefore cancelled, and the enquiry is pro
ceeding on the spot.
Ibrahim Hakki Bey has no connection with either party and
speaks Arabic only with difficulty. The British Commandant
has formed a high opinion of him, and since his arrival the whole
situation has greatly improved. On December 26 he sent a