Coll 6/4(1) 'Asir: Assumption by Ibn Saud of control of internal administration of Asir.' [125r] (256/1104)
The record is made up of 1 volume (548 folios). It was created in 17 Nov 1930-12 Oct 1933. 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
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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia).
May 16. 1933.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 3.
*
[E 2542/2/25] No. 1 .
Sir A. Ryan to Sir John Simon.—[Received May 16.)
(No. 120.)
Sir, Jedda, Ayril 18, 1933.
3 WITH reference to my telegram N o. 68 of the 17th April, I have the honour
to transmit herewith translations of two communiques about Asir, published
in the Umm-al-Qura of the 31st March and the 14th April. You will see by the
second that the question of the disposal of Hasan-al-Idrisi has been settled in
a manner very favourable to him. When speaking to me on the subject on the
15th April, Fuad Bey expatiated on the King’s longanimity and generosity.
I admitted the justice of these praises, adding that the King had also shown
qualities of statesmanship, of which generosity was a part. This was not
insincere, but the fact remains that His Majesty’s display of statesmanship
on this occasion indicates readiness to go to great lengths to avoid a quarrel with
the Imam. It is also possible that he believes, on reflexion, that Hasan-al-Idrisi
will be less dangerous as an exile in the Yemen than if he returned under any
conditions which left him free to tamper directly with tribes in Asir.
2. Fuad Bey emphasised the point that Asir would not be governed as
before, but as “ Asir Tihama,” meaning that it would become a province under
that name. He added, confidentially, that the King s cousin, Abdul Aziz-bin-
Musaid, would not remain there permanently, as was at one time expected, and
that it was intended to make Turki-as-Sdayri, at present Governor of Jauf-Skaka,
Governor-General of the whole of Asir, to reside at Abha, with a subordinate
Governor at Jizan. . . ,
3 . The second of the enclosed communiques expresses the expectation that
Abdui Wahhab Idrisi, the brother of Hasan and one of the prime movers in
the revolt in Asir. will return with other ex-rebels to Saudi Arabia I doubt
whether this expectation will be fulfilled, but I can hardly suppose that Ibn baud
having yielded in the case of Hasan, will quarrel with the Imam over Abdul
Wahhab, &c. It looks (a) as though the situation m Asir had been stabilised
at anv rate for the time being, and {b) as though any danger of conflict m the
near future between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen had been averted
4. I am sending copies of this despatch and enclosure to His Majesty s
High Commissioners for Egypt and
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
, Uis Majesty s Chief
Commissioner at Aden and to the Senior Naval Officer m the Red Sea Sloops.
I have, &c.
ANDREW RYAN.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Extract from the Mecca Umm-al-Qura of March 31, 1933.
Restoration of Situation in the South to its normal State.
ha^e already published, m
of the situation in the south to its norma ^ , refuse over the Yemen
for a general amnesty to be granted to ose^ AzIz-bin-Musaid has
frontier. We have to add now that the Annr -Aoam T) id forees have
demobilised ^ the forces ^mh were un er^h certaill detachments for the
returned to Nejd but the A ' - IL natives The persons who participated in
purpose of according Their regret for the past,
this insurrection have returned, expi
[795 q—3]
About this item
- Content
This volume mostly contains copies of Foreign Office correspondence (forwarded by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the Under-Secretary of State for India) relating to the assumption by Ibn Sa'ud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] of control of the internal administration of Asir in November 1930, and its impact on his relations with the Imam of Yemen [Yaḥyá Muḥammad Ḥamīd al-Dīn].
Some of the Foreign Office correspondence refers to the Treaty of Mecca (1926), between Ibn Sa'ud and the Idrisi Ruler of Asir, As Sayyid Al-Hasan-al-Idrisi [Sayyid Āl Ḥasan al-Idrīsī], in which the latter handed over control of his foreign relations, whilst retaining control of his territory's internal affairs. The correspondence discusses the impact that the recent annexation of Asir is likely to have on 1) the present status of Asir, and 2) the Treaty of 1917 between Britain and the Idrisi.
Also discussed are the following:
- Whether or not the British Government should recognise the absorption of Asir into the territories of Ibn Sa'ud.
- Proposals made by the Hejaz and Nejd Government to the British Government for the establishment both of wireless communication between Aden and Jizan, and of postal communication between Jizan and Kamaran, and the difficulties that these proposals pose for the British Government in relation to its decision to withold formal recognition of the annexation of Asir.
- The Italian Government's view on the annexation of Asir.
- Reports of the Imam of Yemen having advanced troops over the Asir frontier.
- Details of a revolt by the Idrisi in Asir against Ibn Sa'ud, in which Abdullah [ʿAbdullāh bin Ḥusayn al-Hāshimī], Emir of 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 , is alleged to be complicit.
- The British Government's response to the alleged presence of anti-Saudi consipirators in 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 .
- Saudi objections to an Italian sloop entering Asir waters and disagreement between the British and Italian Governments regarding whether British warships have visited Jizan.
- Details of telegram reports from the Senior Naval Officer of the British Red Sea sloops (which are included in the volume).
- Reports of the surrender of the Idrisi rebels, and of Ibn Sa'ud's consent to As Sayyid Al-Hasan-al-Idrisi's permanent exile in Yemen.
- Reports of the alleged detention of a Saudi delegation at Sanaa.
- Extracts from Aden Political Intelligence summaries (which are included in the volume).
- Saudi suspicions that Italy has been supplying both the Idrisi and the Imam of Yemen with arms and ammunition.
The volume also includes copies of translated correspondence between Ibn Sa'ud and the Imam of Yemen dating from 1930 to 1931, and a copy of a translation of a treaty of friendship between the Hejaz-Nejd and Yemen, signed on 15 December 1931.
The volume's principal correspondents are the following:
- His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires, Jedda (Cecil Gervase Hope Gill, succeeded by Albert Spencer Calvert);
- British Minister at Jedda (Andrew Ryan);
- Foreign Office;
- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir John Simon);
- Secretary of State for the Colonies;
- Minister for Foreign Affairs for the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia) [Fayṣal bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd];
- His Majesty's Ambassador to Italy (Ronald William Graham);
- Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
- Ibn Sa'ud;
- Imam of Yemen.
The volume includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (548 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the first flyleaf with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 549; 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 present between ff 226-546 and is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out. The foliation sequence does not include the front cover.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2064
- Title
- Coll 6/4(1) 'Asir: Assumption by Ibn Saud of control of internal administration of Asir.'
- Pages
- 119r:119v, 125r:125v, 143r:146v, 152r:152v, 333r:333v, 359r:360v, 495r:496v
- Author
- Um al-Qura xx Ummul Qura
- Usage terms
- Public Domain