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Coll 6/21(1) 'Hejaz-Nejd: Relations with H.M.G.: Hejaz Legation in London and British Minister in Jeddah.' [‎62r] (134/914)

The record is made up of 1 volume (453 folios). It was created in 7 Sep 1927-10 Jan 1935. 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. .

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present available
While
basis, of th
ie cr«
agreeing as to the objection to a solution on the
eation of a Neutral zone* he said that he aid not
think that some variant of this solution ought to he completely
rulea out of court at the present stage, if there were to he
any chance of persuading ihn Saud to agree to a Neutral
Zone, say s 50 miles from East to West running from the base
of the Qatar peninsula to the 20th parallel of latitude ?
it would be well worth our while to face the inconvenience
involved on the assumption that Ibn Saud would have no
rights to the East of such a zone.
Speaking personally, however., he v;
by the solution suggested i
November which wa
was much attracted
in Mr. Eended’s letter of 7th
as based on previous discussion with 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. . Clearly the detail
consideration ? and the situ
s would need closer
at ion might be affected by the
nformation awaited from £ushire 5 but prima_ f_anie it had
iuch to commend it. In particular 9 it would ^ase -re
) 0 sition as regards applications to develop oil in the
'rucial States. Our present policy was to sterilise
;hose States from the oil point of view, hut it might he
.mpossihle to maintain that attitude. H , however ,
jould secure the adoption of the ring fence solution of the
ooundary problem and the ring fence was sufficiently deep,
it would he possible for us to agree to tns
pYonnle in Abu Dhabi, to cover half or
concession 5 ior examples
+ e pf the distance between the coast and the
three-quarters of tue ui^.
southern border of the ring fence. As in tne case of
Qatar, we might offer the Sheikh protection within
5 _ return for his giving it to a
area of the concession m retu ^
1iq while between in
+ n-p punroved by us 5 ,
company designatea
^ Eorder 01 int;
, concession and th
southern border of the con
n o - h oT r e the room to heal
A . T r-i rri q t rv v/oulu na v c ‘u
ring fence the Air ianiatry
. ..... attached so much
with raiders 9
importance •
-7-

About this item

Content

This volume concerns relations between the British Government and the Government of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia).

The volume largely consists of copies of Foreign Office and Colonial Office correspondence. The correspondence near the beginning of the volume discusses Ibn Saud's [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd's] wish to enter into full diplomatic relations with the British Government. The Hejazi Government's proposal in 1929 to establish a legation in London is accompanied by a request for the British Government to raise the status of its Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. and Consulate in Jedda to the same status.

The subsequent correspondence in the volume discusses the following:

  • The British Government's consideration (and acceptance) of Ibn Saud's proposal, and the appointment of Sir Andrew Ryan as His Majesty's Minister at the British Legation in Jedda in May 1930.
  • Hafiz Wahba's appointment as Hejazi Minister in London in 1930.
  • Complaints made by the Hejazi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding Sir Andrew Ryan's attitude and conduct since his arrival in Jedda.
  • Details of an Hejazi-Nejdi diplomatic mission to Europe (including visits to Italy, France, Britain, and the Netherlands), undertaken in May 1932 and headed by Amir Feisal [Fayṣal bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd], Hejazi Minister for Foreign Affairs (this part of the volume includes detailed accounts of the mission's meetings with Foreign Office officials during its visit to London).
  • Sir Andrew Ryan's account of his meeting with Ibn Saud at Taif in July 1934, and their discussion of the 'blue line' (the frontier which marked the Ottoman Government's renunciation of its claims to Bahrain and Qatar, in the Anglo-Ottoman convention of 1913) and the Kuwait blockade.
  • Details of several meetings held at the Foreign Office between Fuad Bey Hamza (Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs for Saudi Arabia), Sir Andrew Ryan and George William Rendel (Head of the Foreign Office's Eastern Department), during September 1934, regarding the 'blue line', the Kuwait blockade, and the future of the Treaty of Jedda (the treaty signed between Britain and Ibn Saud in 1927).
  • Requests from the Italian Government for information regarding Fuad Bey Hamza's visit to London.

The volume features the following principal correspondents: His Majesty's Agent and Consul at Jedda, a position that was raised to His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires to Jedda in late 1929 (Hugh Stonehewer Bird, William Linskill Bond, Cecil Gervase Hope Gill, and Albert Spencer Calvert successively); His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Andrew Ryan); His Majesty's Ambassador in Rome (Ronald William Graham); Ibn Saud; Amir Faisal; officials of the Hejazi/Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs; officials of the Foreign Office, the Colonial Office, and 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. .

In addition to correspondence, the volume contains a copy of the minutes of a meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence's Standing Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. The meeting, which took place in London on 8 November 1934, was primarily concerned with the settlement of the 'blue line' issue, the Saudi- 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 frontier, and the Kuwait blockade.

The volume includes two dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (453 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the first folio with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 449; these numbers are written in pencil 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. The front and back covers, along with the two leading and two ending flyleaves, have not been foliated.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 6/21(1) 'Hejaz-Nejd: Relations with H.M.G.: Hejaz Legation in London and British Minister in Jeddah.' [‎62r] (134/914), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2087, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100066378255.0x000087> [accessed 11 June 2026]

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