File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎196v] (390/450)

41 local situation warrants and that quarantine arrangements are sufficient. Sir H.
McMahon, in a telegram dated the 29th July [No. 637], protests against tendency to
throw too much responsibility on him personally, the •Indian Government being as much
in possession af the facts as he was. Mecca and Jeddah are now in the possession of
the Sherif who is very desirous that there should be a pilgrimage this year. Sir H.
McMahon will know more when Colonel Wilson has arrived at Jeddah.
Issue of Postage Stamps.
Sir H. McMahon telegraphed on the 30th July [No. 639] that the Sherif had asked
to be provided with an issue of postage stamps ; that he had had a suitable stamp
designed ; and that he proposed having a small issue prepared as he thinks the political
effect would be favourable as emphasising the Sherif s independence of Turkey.
A Mecca Gazette.
The “ Times” correspondent in Cairo telegraphed on the 29th July that the Sherif
proposed to publish a weekly newspaper at Mecca which would be his official gazette.
Position in Hejaz.
The D.M.I., Cairo, telegraphed to D.M.I. on the 28th July [I. G., 1002] that at
Medina the siege seemed to be practically raised; that the Sherif had begun to recruit
for a standing army and had raised 1,000 men in three days; that he had asked for
British aeroplanes and pilots to fly everywhere except in the neighbourhood of Mecca
and Medina ; and that he pressed us to cut the railway as soon as possible. In addition
to Haidar, who is said to be in Medina, the Turks have sent there Abdel Rahman el
Yusuf, Assaid Shoukair, [and Mohammed el Azm, their three chief adherents in
Damascus. He discredited report of Germans being in Medina—the fanatical towns
folk would hardly allow such a thing. The Sherif has twice given assurance of his
absolute solidarity with the Entente, and has offered one of his sons as a hostage of
good faith.
Sir H. McMahon telegraphed on the |6th July [No. 620] that the Sherif was
asking for 2,000 Egyptian troops to help in the taking of Medina, and for a further
10.000 to be held in readiness. It is impossible to supply these troops. Sir H.
McMahon added that he should he in a better position to judge the Sherd’s real
requirements when Colonel Wilson had got into touch with him.
The Arab Bureau telegraphed on the 30th July [Baba, 45] that Yamboa surren
dered to Sherif on the 27th July. Also that the Bureau had arranged to take off
2.000 prisoners and sick from Jeddah by instalments.
The Arab Prisoners in Egypt.
In answer to an enquiry from the Foreign Office [No. 618], Sir H. McMahon
telegraphed on the 27th July [No. 621] that a selection was being made among
prisoners of war in Egypt and in India of Arab officers willing to serve in Hejaz.
The G.O.C. Egypt telegraphed to C.I.G.S. on the 30th July [I. A. 2266] that the
Arab Bureau had intormed him that it was being found very difficult to persuade
Turkish trained artillerymen to go, even under their own officers, to the Sherif; but
according to a telegram of same date from Arab Bureau [Baba 45] to D.I.D., though
they could not send much trained personnel, a heavy battery was going.
Moslem Opinion,
Opinion in Aden.
The Resident wrote under date the 10th June that news of what happened at
Jeddah had been spread in Aden among the Somali population by the Somali boys
landed off H.M.S. “Fox,” and that it had been well received; on the 17th June he
said that the news apparently had caused little or no comment among the Arab
population, and that the local residents were much more interested in the consideration
of the effect of the present situation on their trade than in the religious side ol the
question ; and on the 24th June that generally it was looked on as a welcome relief,