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Coll 6/21(1) 'Hejaz-Nejd: Relations with H.M.G.: Hejaz Legation in London and British Minister in Jeddah.' [143r] (296/914)
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.
discussions at Jedda. Mr. Rendel saw nothing to be lost and much
‘ from the proposed local discussions.
to be gained
Fuad Bey explained that he could not depart from his instructions on this
question. He undertook, however, to suggest once more to the Kino- the
possibility of local discussion at Bahrein and to put to His Maiestl the
arguments which had been used. He quite realised that Bahrein must find some
means of economic existence, but such an existence should not be parasitic. If
Bahrein wished to live by its transit dues, it must give reasonable facilities. This
would not^ be the case if the transit dues were raised, and in any case
King Ibn baud felt stiongly that goods consigned to himself and his Government
should be exempted.
Mr. Rendel said that so far as he was aware it was not m accordance with
geneial practice to exempt from transit dues stores destined for a foreicn
Government. ft
Sir Andrew Ryan stated that His Majesty’s IGovernment had always been
ready to give liberal treatment to stores destined for the actual use of
King Ibn baud. The economy of Nejd, however, was of a peculiar kind, and
there seemed no good reason why stores which were, for instance, imported for
the use of tribes should be exempted from transit dues.
Fuad Hamza then reverted to the question of direct shipments to Hasa.
He emphasised the importance which King Ibn baud attached to this, and added
that local interests in baudi Arabia, Basra, and even Persia were now
considering the possibility of forming some independent navigation company,
in view of the pressure which had been brought to bear on the British India
Company not to make any shipments to the Hasa direct.
Sir A . Ryan urged on the baudi representatives the importance of dispelling
from the King’s mind the idea that His Majesty’s Government were trying to
force him into economic dependence on Bahrein, and Mr. Rendel repeated that
His Majesty’s Government had no wish to bring about a boycott or blockade of
the Hasa coast.
In conclusion, Mr. Rendel mentioned that His Majesty’s Government might
wish, in the course of any general negotiations, to revive the question of the
passage of aircraft over baudi Arabia. The question, which had often been
discussed before, was, in one sense, one of diminishing importance, since the
actual extent of the baudi coastline on the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
was small and the
radius and reliability of aircraft were steadily increasing. It was, of course,
against the policy of His Majesty’s Government to make the regular passage
of aircraft over any particular country subject to financial payments. It was
clear that, once such a principle were established, there would be no end to it,
and that freedom of air communications all over the world would be greatly
interfered with. But there would be certain advantages if some agreement
could be come to with a view to facilitating the passage of aircraft o\ei
King Ibn baud’s territory. ,
The question of dealing with the matter in connexion with the proposed
general settlement had not vet been fully considered, but Mr. Rendel thought
it well to make it clear at once that His Majesty’s Government might eventually
wish to raise it, lest, if it were left over and only mentioned later they should
be regarded as endeavouring at the last moment to include new subjects m e
general settlement and thereby altering its scope.
Sir Andrew Ryan observed that His Majesty’s Government might wish to
idd certain subjects to the list of those to be reviewed duimg ua ey s y
o London. He mentioned in particular the question of the Goyermnent of
mdia’s dispensary in the Hejaz. It was agreed that Sir A. > an , j’ l f L
his question, and possibly certain other minor matters, with Fuad
iaudi Minister on the morning of the 24th September It was agreed that
he next general conversation should take place on e c
!4th September, after Fuad Bey had seen the Secretary of State.
Eastern Department, Foreign Office,
September 21, 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.' [143r] (296/914), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2087, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100066378256.0x000061> [accessed 5 June 2026]
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- 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