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Coll 6/21(1) 'Hejaz-Nejd: Relations with H.M.G.: Hejaz Legation in London and British Minister in Jeddah.' [140r] (290/914)
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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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essential that, if he were to maintain his prestige, his action should not be
capable of being represented as dictated by external pressure. He suggested
that it should be left to King Ibn Saud to take appropriate action as a matter
of internal policy.
Mr. Rendel replied that His Majesty’s Government fully realised these
^difficulties, but that they did not seem to him insuperable. A prohibition of
the importation of slaves would, of course, be a great step forward. But this
would not really affect the question of the institution of slavery, since the existing
slave population was large enough, he understood, to maintain the supply of
slaves for an indefinite period. If, therefore, Ibn Saud could take some steps
with a view to the gradual reduction of the number of born slaves, it would be
more useful still. Some concession, such as that which Fuad Bey had himself
suggested, providing for the emancipation of slaves who were maltreated or
discontented with their lot, would be an enormous step forward. Such a measure
would, of course, for the reasons which had just been discussed, have to be taken
by Ibn Saud on his own initiative. But if it were actually taken, it might make
it much easier for His Majesty’s Government to make some concession in return.
He suggested, as a personal and unofficial suggestion of his own, that by far the
best solution would be for Ibn Saud spontaneously to take some action in the
sense proposed, in advance of any concession by His Majesty’s Government.
Any concession which His Majesty’s Government might agree to make could
then be made subsequently, in specific recognition of the fact that Ibn Saud
had taken the measures in question. This might create an excellent impression
here, and might justify some modification of the present arrangements.
Mr. Rendel repeated, however, that he could give no undertaking at this stage
as to what the attitude of His Majesty’s Government would be.
Fuad Bey thought that something on these lines might be possible, but that
Ibn Saud would certainly require some guarantee from His Majesty’s Govern
ment in advance that, if he took the action proposed, His Majesty’s Government
would subsequently make the desired concession.
Sir Andrew Ryan observed that His Majesty’s Government were being
asked to abandon an existing right. It would be necessary to justify any such
abandonment to opinion in this country, which, on this subject, was very strong,
to a wider British opinion, including that of many Moslems, and to international
opinion. It would not suffice for such justification to rely merely on an
assurance of Ibn Saud’s good intentions. It would be necessary to know what
definite action he contemplated to prevent the slave trade and to mitigate the
lot of slaves actually suffering from hardship. Although the lot of slaves
generally in Saudi Arabia might be fortunate, there were, in fact, instances of
oppressive slavery. He cited as an example the facility with which slave
husbands and wives could be separated.
It was decided to pursue this matter at a later meeting. Before leaving,
Fuad Bey Hamza mentioned four points which he would wish to pursue with
His Majesty’s Government during the following discussions. These were
(1) The Hejaz Railway.
(2) The cable line between Jedda and Port Sudan.
(3) The Koweit Neutral Zone oil concession.
(4) Bahrein transit dues.
Eastern Department, Foreign Office,
September 20, 1934.
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 View the complete information for this record
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Coll 6/21(1) 'Hejaz-Nejd: Relations with H.M.G.: Hejaz Legation in London and British Minister in Jeddah.' [140r] (290/914), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2087, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100066378256.0x00005b> [accessed 6 April 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2087
- Title
- Coll 6/21(1) 'Hejaz-Nejd: Relations with H.M.G.: Hejaz Legation in London and British Minister in Jeddah.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:iv-v, 3r:78v, 80r:96v, 100r:151v, 153r:218v, 220r:227v, 229r:238v, 240r:240v, 242r:242v, 244r:247v, 249r:255v, 258r:286v, 288r:293v, 298r:316v, 320r:362v, 364r:366v, 370r:371v, 373r:406v, 409r:422v, 424r:426v, 428r:448v, v-r:vi-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence