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Coll 6/67(4) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [379r] (757/843)
The record is made up of 1 file (420 folios). It was created in 12 Nov 1935-27 Sep 1937. 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.
[581 gg—3] b 2
3
Enclosure 2.
Note by Sir A. Ryan.
I ARRIVED in Riyadh late in the afternoon of the 23rd November. Ibn
Sand received myself and my staff next morning, but the audience was one of
courtesy only. That day, the 24th November, after luncheon, Fuad Bey expressed
a wish to have a general talk about the business side of my visit. It had already
been made pretty clear that the Saudis fully expected official matters to be
discussed during my stay, and Fuad Bey started our conversation on the
24th November by asking me what I had in view. I explained that I had come
equipped with instructions on various subjects and that, as on previous occasions.
I should welcome an opportunity of stating to the King in person the views of
His Majesty’s Government, although His Majesty would probably wish me to
discuss the details with his advisers. I reviewed the questions which had been
discussed with Fuad Bey in London in July. I had new instructions regarding
the question of the eastern and south-eastern frontiers of Saudi Arabia. This.
I said, was the most important outstanding question. I would put second the
question of Saudi-Koweit economic relations, and third that of the prolongation
of the validity of the Treaty of Jedda, with the three connected questions of
slavery, arms traffic and the language of the treaty. I had instructions on all
these matters. I had instructions on the question of air facilities also, but I
thought it might be better to leave that until after my return to Jedda. As for
the
Transjordan
Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan
question, the position was that we were expecting a reply to
the letter which Mr. Rendel had written to Fuad Bey on the 19th July.
2. This record deals only with the question of the eastern and south-eastern
frontiers. In our conversation on the 24th November I explained to Fuad Bey
the general nature of my new instructions. I emphasised the position of His
Majesty’s Government in regard to the Arab States on the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
. Fuad
Bey might, I said, dislike the pretensions of a non-Arab State to concern itself
with Arabian affairs, but they were founded on an historic evolution. We could
not contemplate a break in the line of States with which were in special relations.
On the other hand, we were sincerely desirous of a settlement of the frontier
question, and the new proposals I had brought took the fullest possible account
of the desiderata which the Saudi Government had put forward. I stressed the
fact that the new proposals were not merely an advance on the offers which His
Majesty’s Government had previously made, but were based on a new method of
approach to the question, that of readiness to meet Saudi views handsomely when
we could do so, e.g., in regard to the country of the Murra tribe, the dim of
which proved, in fact, to be much more extensive than we had supposed; but
we must at the same time safeguard other essential interests. I pointed out
that, in applying this new method, we had gone so far that further concessions
could not be expected. I also said that they were subject to the assent of the
Sultan of Muscat, whom we had wished to consult, but who was out of reach,
when the matter had got to this stage.
3. Fuad Bey preserved the role of an attentive listener. He did not demur v .
to my proposal to give general explanations to the King in person, but was clearly
anxious to have our proposals as soon as possible. I thought it politic to promise
to let him have on the 25th November a note of our proposals and to show him
a map to illustrate their effect.
4. Fuad Bey called on the 25th November shortly before the time fixed for
my audience with the King to present the insignia of the G.C.B. We had a
short general conversation, which I need not record in detail. Its only interest
lay in the fact that Fuad Bey got on to the old familiar theme that His Majesty’s
Government never considered Ibn Saud sufficiently, and had always returned
evasive answers to his professions of friendship and a desire for close collabora
tion with them. He spoke of the King’s grievances. I riposted, as usual, by
saying how greatly His Majesty’s Government valued the King’s friendship, but
insisting that we had always believed the best way to consolidate mutual friend
ship was to clear up outstanding questions. (I will revert to this part of the
conversation when recording separately my conversations regarding the Koweit
blockade.) Before we parted, I gave Fuad Bey my note of His Majesty’s Govern
ment’s new proposals regarding the eastern and south-eastern frontiers and lent
him a copy of the latest edition of Hunter’s 1 in. = 32 miles Map of Arabia.
About this item
- Content
This file primarily concerns British policy regarding the eastern and south-eastern boundaries of Saudi Arabia, specifically those bordering Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Muscat (i.e. the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman).
Much of the correspondence relates to British concerns that the boundaries should be demarcated prior to the commencement of any oil prospecting in the area. The file's principal correspondents are the following: His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan, succeeded by Sir Reader William Bullard); the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle); the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Gordon Loch); the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Muscat (Major Ralph Ponsonby Watts); the Secretary of State for the Colonies; the Secretary of State for India; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; officials of the Foreign Office, the Colonial 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. , and the Admiralty.
Matters discussed in the correspondence include the following:
- Whether the British should press King Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] for a settlement of the outstanding questions relating to the aforementioned boundaries.
- Sir Andrew Ryan's meeting with Ibn Saud and the Deputy Minister for Saudi Foreign Affairs, Fuad Bey Hamza, in Riyadh, in November 1935.
- The disputed territories of Jebel Naksh [Khashm an Nakhsh, Qatar] and Khor-al-Odeid [Khawr al ‘Udayd].
- Whether or not a territorial agreement between Ibn Saud and Qatar was concluded prior to the Anglo-Qatar Treaty of 1916.
- The intentions of Petroleum Concessions Limited regarding the development of its oil concession in Qatar.
- The line proposed by the British for the boundary between Saudi Arabia and the Aden Protectorate.
- The Kuwait blockade.
- Leading personalities in Oman.
- Details of Harry St John Bridger Philby's expedition to Shabwa [Shabwah, Yemen].
- Four meetings held between Sir Reader Bullard, George Rendel (Head of the Foreign Office's Eastern Department), and Ibn Saud, in Jedda, 20-22 March 1937.
Also included are the following:
- Copies of the minutes of meetings of the Committee of Imperial Defence's Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East.
- Copies of correspondence dating from 1906, exchanged between the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Major Percy Zachariah Cox), the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department, and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi [Shaikh Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan], regarding the latter's claim to Khor-al-Odeid.
- Several maps and sketch maps depicting the proposed boundaries discussed in the correspondence.
The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence (folio 2).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (420 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 421; 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. 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 6/67(4) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.' [379r] (757/843), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2137, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100049619518.0x0000a0> [accessed 19 June 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2137
- Title
- Coll 6/67(4) 'Boundaries of South Eastern Arabia and Qatar.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:30v, 33r:47v, 50r:60v, 64r:93v, 95r:107v, 109r:210v, 213r:304v, 313r:358v, 360r:421v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence