File 87/1926 Pt 2 'Arabia: Bin Saud: Relations with H.M.G. Revision of Treaty.' [‎539r] (765/840)

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living, etc., he gave me to understand that his most pressing needs
at the moment were arms for his men and funds wherewith to carry
on his administration.
I did not think it necessary to comment on these two very indirect
requests, which he obviously put forward with considerable diffidence
and with no great anticipation of a reply.
Nineteenth Meeting.
At 12 noon on the 2nd November a meeting took place, the
attendance being as usual.
At this meeting the Hadda Agreement* was duly signed.
Ibn Sa‘ud then took the opportunity of raising two questions which
he said he would like to mention to me*. The first was that of
Sayyid Ahmad as-Senussi, who was at present residing at Mecca.
He was anxious to intercede with the British Government on behalf
of Sayyid Ahmad, who, he was assured, only entered the war against
the Allies under very heavy pressure from the Turks, and who was
now anxious to renounce all political activity and go to Egypt, where
he hoped to recover some, if not all, of his confiscated property, and
then live in peace and seclusion at a suitable place, such as Jaghbub.
I replied that I did not think His Majesty’s Government took any
particular interest in Sayyid Ahmad’s movements at the present time,
but that his intentions as now explained to me affected chiefly the
Egyptian Government and possibly the Italian Government. I was
unable to tell him what the attitude of these two Governments would
be or indeed what attitude His Majesty’s Government would adopt.
I promised, however, to make enquiries in Cairo and, if necessary, in
London.
The second question he raised was that of a certain Sheikh who
had been expelled from Ma‘an by King Hussein and who was anxious
to return. Ibn Sa'ud assured me that it was on account of alleged
friendship with himself that the man had been expelled from Ma'an,
but now that territory was definitely incorporated in mandated area
he hoped it would be possible for this man to return.
I informed him that I would speak of the matter to the High Com
missioner in Palestine, and suggested that the man’s name and the
circumstances of his departure from Trans-Jordan might be supplied
to me in due course.
Twentieth Meeting.
My last (twentieth) meeting with the Sultan took place at 3.15 p.m.
on Monday, the 2nd November, in the Sultan’s tent, the attendance
being the same as usual.
His Highness seized this opportunity to raise several minor ques
tions, in which he wanted my advice or help.
The first was that of the Ma‘an Sheikh, who wanted permission to
return to Trans-Jordan. He was brought into the tent and stated
that his name was Sheikh Muhammad Krishan Abu Tuhair, that he
* Annexure 7.