File 87/1926 Pt 2 'Arabia: Bin Saud: Relations with H.M.G. Revision of Treaty.' [‎532v] (752/840)

Majesty’s Government, assurances which had afforded me the
greatest satisfaction as an earnest of rapid and easy agreement and
which I should not tail to report to my Government.
On the other hand I regretted to have observed that in our discus
sion previous to our meeting that afternoon there had been but little
evidence of willingness on His Highness’ part to meet His Majesty’s
Government’s wishes in such a manner as would bring home to them
by practical proof the full value of his declarations of friendship,
hvery point of importance which 1 had raised had been hotly de
bated, and I had noticed a tendency to introduce into our discus
sions an atmosphere of contention and bargaining over every point,
which would, 1 fear, have produced an unfavourable impression on
His Majesty s Government had it not been counteracted to some
extent by His Highness’s attitude that afternoon, of which I took
this occasion to express my appreciation. My time was not un
limited, and 1 was unwilling to trespass indefinitely on His High
ness’ valuable time and generous hospitality; moreover, it was not
in consonance with the dignity with which His Majesty’s Govern
ment had invested my mission that it should prolong its stay in
definitely in the pursuit of fruitless discussions. I therefore
earnestly begged him to give me, in regard to the remaining points
lor discussion, the same proof of willingness to meet the wishes of
His Majesty’s Government in a generous spirit as he had displayed
at our meeting that afternoon, more especially as it was only by such
a course of action that he would secure that confidence and sympathy
which His Majesty’s Government were only too anxious to offer and
which I felt convinced it was in the truest interests of His High
ness and the State of Nejd to receive. Failure to reach a settle
ment and a consequent rupture of negotiations would have a truly
lamentable effect on the relations between His Highness and His
Majesty’s Government.
I trusted that he would take this frank statement in the entirely
friendly spirit in which it was made and would give the matter his
very early and personal consideration, as I was anxious to dispose
without delay of the specific questions with which I was charged, in
older that time might still be available for general discussion of any
question which he might wish to raise, as being of importance to
his country and to its future relations with the British Empire. If
His Highness saw fit to give me a favourable reply to the general
issue I had raised, I saw no reason why a speedy settlement should
not be arrived at.
I bn Sa ud reiterated his good intentions and sincere desire for
complete understanding with His Majesty’s Government. He again
re earsed his former arguments as regards the specific case of Kaf,
^ r ff in g that he had been given fully to understand that His Majesty’s
government were prepared to admit that Kaf should lie within his
territory and that he had in consequence informed his people of that
act. o retreat from his position in that respect would not only
amage his own prestige throughout the country, but would also
rC avourab, y on Great Britain as a Power which was re
nounce or ne\er failing to keep its pledged word. He was only too
armous to meet me in every possible way and to make what sacri-
ees e oou d to arrive at that understanding he so ardently desired;
ddh °h ,S P articu ^ ar point he found himself in a position of extreme