File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎217r] (431/450)

Cable from Suakin to Jeddah.
1 his has been repaired. The Jeddah oflice is worked by the Sherif’s operators,
and the bhenf de^red that they should also work the office at Suakin. But the
^ JJjgh Commissioner was of opinion that we should keep that end of the cable entirely
in 0111 hands, in which opinion the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs expressed
ms entire concurrence by telegram dated 13th July.
The Sherifs Operations.
On 10th July, 28 officers, 950 men, and 150 sick and wounded in the barracks at
Mecca surrendered to the Sherif.
On 7th July the position at Medina was causing the Sherif grave anxiety. The
town was no longer invested, and one Turkish division was reported to be in the
place. A telegram from the High Commissioner, dated 12th July, gives the
information that a post captured on its way to Medina contained a despatch to Fahri
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , oideimg him to make a stand to tiie last possible moment and promising
reinforcements.
In a letter dated 6th July, Lieutenant-Commander Hogarth, R.N.Y.R., Director of
the Arab Bureau, says that a short conversation with Captain Cornwallis, just returned
from Jiddalg had given him the impression that affairs in Hejaz were not very
promising.
Destruction of the TIejaz Railway.
On K ith July the Chief of the Imperial General Staff telegraphed to the General
Officer Commanding, Egypt, suggesting that he should concert with the Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. with
a view to seeing whether any assistance could he given to the Sherif in regard to the
destruction of the railway, as the Sherif was probably ignorant of the art” of railway
destruction. But on 14th July the General Officer Commanding, Egypt, replied that
the Sherif was averse to destroying the railway, as it was built by Mahometans and
was a Mahometan enterprise; he was, however, making arrangements to train Arabs
in demolition work.
Fhe Sherif appears to have changed his mind in regard to the railway, for the
Senior Naval Officer in the Red Sea reports under date 24th June that the Arab
leaders had reported having destroyed about 90 miles of railway north of Medina, and
that on 20th June a message from the Sherif of Mecca asked for, among other things,
charges for the demolition of the railway. On 22nd June another message reported
that the Turks were repairing the railway destroyed by the Arabs.
The Sherif and the Syrian Question.
In this same letter Lieutenant-Commander Hogarth says that the Sherif has sent
Faruki to Cairo to raise the Syrian question again ; and that, he says, “ will have to
be emphatically turned down.”
Djemal Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. .
It is rumoured that Djemal Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. has been ordered to Arabia.
Emir of Mecca appointed by Sultan of Turkey.
An agent reports that Ali Haidar Bey was appointed Emir of Mecca by the Sultan,
but dare not leave for Arabia.
Turkish Troops for Arabia.
Another agent reports that 5,000 troops have left Damascus and are now stationed
at Mezerib for the purpose of invading Hejaz.
Hejaz Officials.
A telegram from Cairo, dated 17th July, announces that these have not been paid
for the last five months.