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Coll 6/21(1) 'Hejaz-Nejd: Relations with H.M.G.: Hejaz Legation in London and British Minister in Jeddah.' [‎79r] (168/914)

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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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia).
f ^ — —-
; j -\ /..■ |
7 7 November 2 , 1934.
CONFIDENTIAL.
■ J vj ». o i
Section 2.
9 34 ji
[E 6697/6697/2S]
No. 1 .
Consul Mackereth
to Sir John Simon.—{Received November 2 .)
(No. 57.)
Sir, Damascus, October 25, 1934.
I HAVE the honour to enclose a translation of a report published on the
23rd October, 1934, of an interview given by Fuad Bey Hamza, Deputy Minister
for Foreign Affairs to King Abdul Aziz-bin-Saud, to the reporter of the Ayyam.
2 . I am sending a copy of this despatch and its enclosure to His Majesty’s
Minister in Jedda.
I have, &c.
GILBERT MACKERETH.
Enclosure in No. 1 .
Extract from the Ayyam of October 23, 1934.
Conversation between our Special Correspondent and Fuad Bey Hamza.
Q. WILL your Excellency tell me in detail what was the aim in present
circumstances of your visit to the European capitals ?
A. I went to Europe on a private visit to take a rest, but I also took the
opportunity of meeting the men of Italy, France and Great Britain, of discussing
with them questions of interest to His Majesty King Abdul Aziz, and of solving
some of the outstanding problems. I visited Italy and met Signor Mussolini.
This visit served to confirm the good relations existing between the Italian and
Arabian Governments. I visited the French capital and met the men of its
Government and spoke to that experienced politician, the late M. Barthou, wj - 10 ® 6
death was a great loss to the French nation. He was an energetic man, and he
wisely steered French policy in the stormy sea of politics. I visited the nnglish
capital and met the Hon. Sir John Simon, the Foreign Minister, and othei men o
the British Government. I am glad to be able to declare that we succeede m
overcoming manv difficulties and in coming to an understanding abou many
questions which are of interest to the Arab Saudi and the Bi itish Governmen s.
Q. Hejaz being one of the Governments that inaugurated the League oi
Nations, is it the intention of His Majesty to use that right, having neg ec e so
^ Vsejaz, which was one of the Governments which founded the League of
Nations, was then an independent country by itself. JNow i 18 110 .• TTpinr
Q. But the Government of His Majesty Abdul Aziz has inherited the Hej.
Kingdom^ ^ ^ ^ we should have inherited also some other things
which are not in our interest. So is it better not to have m ei > to°enter
Q. Then is it not the intention of the Government of His Majesty to enter
the League of Nations ? . . , ^
A. It is possible that this question is now under -o ji ?
<2. What about the negotiations concer “”fJ; he ^fbefween' the Arabian,
A. Negotiations on that subject are taki D P -n p A shortly
French and English Governments. Probably a con
to take a final decision about this railway. Moslem world to have
Q. Is it not to the interest of Hejaz, Syria and the Mosm ^ ^ other
the line between Maan and Medina repaue a p
questions to be discussed later ? i a lLa npcmtiations which took
A. Among other questions considered during the Medina.
place a long time ago, was the f 0 nference is the way for securing the
One of the subjects to be discussed by p e /° n VA 1 < y
necessary funds for repairing this part o
[256 b—2]

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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.' [‎79r] (168/914), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2087, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100066378255.0x0000a9> [accessed 5 June 2026]

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