File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎77v] (152/450)

IDTIISI of ASIR.
The Viceroy telegraphed [P. 4499] to 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. on the Slst October saying
that Idrisi wanted and was willing to pay for the installation of telephone communi
cation between Sabia and Jizan, places some 20 miles apart. The Indian Government
supported the proposal in view of the importance of the naval and Aden authorities
being able to keep in close touch with Idrisi; but it thought that the best arrangement
would be for the Egyptian telegraph service, if possible, to erect and maintain it, as the
Indian Telegraph Department would find a difficulty in arranging maintenance. On
the 4th November the Foreign Office telegraphed to Sir H. McMahon jfNo. 883] asking
him to make the necessary arrangements if he should see no objection.
IBN SAUD.
On the 27th October the Secretary of State for India telegraphed to the Viceroy
in regard to Ibn Sand. Mr. Chamberlain said that if Ibn Sand’s letter of the 20 th July
indicated a disposition to play off Egyptian authorities against India, Sir. Percy Cox
should discourage any such attempt, at the same time allaying any suspicion either that
the Sherif was not acting in good faith or that the British Government would sacrifice
his, Ibn Saud’s, interests. Ibn Sand’s military value is small in regard to the Turks,
but he can help indirectly by keeping Ibn Pashid in check and preventing him from
attacking Basra or the Sherif; and this need not involve the capture of Hail. Sir
Percy Cox might report Ibn Saud’s actual requirements, if some assistance in the way
of munitions is really needed.
MASKAT.
Among papers received from Basra is a memorandum, written in September, in
which it is stated that the Sultan had issued a few passports to Maskat subjects wishing
to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.
KOWEYT AND THE TRUCIAL COAST A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .
[Nil.]
BAHREIN.
In a report dated the loth September the acting [in text “ offg.”j Political
Agent at Bahrein said that a constable recruiting for police had extended his
operations to Hassa, where he found the general feeling extremely friendly to us.
i
PART II.
POLITICAL EVENTS IN THE FIELDS OF OPERATIONS.
Mesopotamia.
The G.O.C., Force D, telegraphed on the 4th and 5th November saying that there
was strong evidence of the arrival of considerable reinforcements at Bagdad since the
middle of October; that a deserter Algerian officer had reported that his battalion of
French-Africans and Indians, 400 strong, was at Kermanshah early in September;
that the Kurds frequently raided the Turkish lines of communication ; and that the
first 45 miles of telegraph lines under construction from Bunder Abbas to Kerman
should be complete by the 6 th November.
In a telegram sent on the 6th November by the D.M.I. to the G.O.C., Force D,
it was mentioned that Arab troops appeared to be serving in Europe.
PART III.
Syria.
An agent reports that there has been trouble between the Druses and the
Government, as a result of the Sherifs successes; 5,000 Arab and Druse horsemen,
it is said, raided the Government gram depots, and from 100 to 12Q soldiers were
killed.
FRINTBXf AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BT C. B, HAJ&SilBON.— 9/11/1910.