File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎224v] (446/450)

Brigadier-General, and that lie had replied that His Majesty’s Government was
desirous of avoiding any possible indication of our connection with Hejaz operations,
for which reason Colonel Wilson will be styled Pilgrimage Officer. He added that it
seemed undesirable to style him Brigadier-General, it would be better that he should
be known locally as Mr. \\ ilson Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. .
IDRISI, IMAM AND ADEN.
On 17th July the Viceroy in a telegram TP. 2835] in which he expressed his
concurrence in the recommendation of the Resident at Aden in regard to Hashid
and Bakil, deprecated any attack on Sanaa so long as the Imam does not definitely
join the Turks, thinking it obviously undesirable to hustle him from his neutral
attitude. He said, too, that he was asking the Resident at Aden to communicate
with the Imam again, avoiding mention of territorial claims at present. And
replying to this on 21st July the Secretary of State [P. 2S35] said that he presumed
any subsidy granted to the Imam would in the first instance be granted for the
duration of the war only, and that it would be conditional on the Imam attacking the
Turks if and as required.
PART II.
POLITICAL EVENTS IN FIELDS OF OPERATIONS.
(1) Aden.
The General Officer Commanding,-A den, reported on 19th July in a telegram to
the Chief of the General Stall [6502 G.I.] that the situation was unchanged ; and
that a retainer of Abdali Sultan who arrived from Ibb on 15th July reported that
there were no signs of disturbance.
The Resident at Aden telegraphed on 22nd July that the caravan traffic with
Lahej w T as in a normal state.
(2) Blockade of Hejaz coast.
The Arab Bureau reports [No. 9] that the blockade has been raised so far as Jidda
and Leth are concerned; dhows are again trad ing with stores from Egypt and the
Sudan.
(3) Caucasus.
Colonel Marsh telegraphed to D.M.I. on 20th July [T.L. 311] that the Grand Duke
in the despatch which was noticed m the.last report [N.S. No. I page 7] meant to ask
that we “should not only co-operate iiP diplomatic action but should” ourselves
bimg^ clnect piessuie to bear on the [Kurdish] tribes who w T ere causing General
Baratoff anxiety.” Colonel Marsh enquires “whether it would not be possible for
this to be done by [our] political officers in Mesopotamia ? ”
(4) Mesopotamia.
Geneial Officer Commanding telegraphed on 22nd July that the situation was
quiet.
In legald to the tribes on the Hai the Arab Bureau writes ; —
the tribes on the Hai or Gharraf are proving- as difficult to us as they have been to the Turks for
mam years, fortunately, we are possessed only of their southern border, and so have as yet had no
cause to introduce police or hscal measures, or to exercise any sort of administrative control,
ronfedp^n n °V i ra g m * he dls f lct call its inhabitants Muntefich to show that they belong to a loose
necSiint »11 ° f - tri ^ S ’ f 11 / recognise the Saadun family as the leading family, but without
necessai ily allowing the leading family to lead them in any way.
a nu 0f r ie . m ? t I nixed °?f n in blood - ' Some are still nomad, some are semi-nomad,
whp ,; 1 1 tt ‘ ihej J Ve i n tents or rood-huts, villages or towns. Some grow dates, others barley, or
nZhbLV kTu pre i er t0 bl T d ca r lS ’. 0r Sheep ’ butfaloeS 0r cattle - The y are well armed, fairly
nro utnm ’ iTil • adl} off qtyty ^dependent m manner and spirit, attached to their tribal leaders, and
mmthef -fnd 11 !.^? 8 ’ ^ the S^adun family This country is a wet one generally, full of creeks and
p S ’ xG ' S ° me 1 lake ® and lslands on wluch the 7 build villages, and on the edges some dry
plains banen enough for camel pasture. " ^
welln!pT« f r gl TT t ! ie j Tm ' k ] so long and so consistently that one might have expected them to
.... • i, 3 friends. Unfortunately their reasons for opposing the Turks were not merely the universal
dpi o-l + nJ >1 ’ but & ? artlCula !' expression of their intention to remain outside of all government. The
NJEjj ^ icbbeij, violence and damp marsh-life are too deeply bitten info them for the role of respect-
rmbmd^in T l0 ° k P leasant - Had we offered them anarchy we would have had their suffrage, but we
could only otter them a change of masters.