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Papers on British policy and the Arab movement [12v] (26/380)
The record is made up of 1 file (187 folios). It was created in 1 Jul 1916-7 Dec 1918. It was written in English and French. 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.
4
to make available some 60,000 to 70,000 men, but whether as many as this coulcl be
supplied is a doubtful matter, and, even if they could, it would take at least th
months before they could all arrive. , , , . r ,
Whatever course the Turks may adopt there is a strong probability that they
take early steps to strengthen their garrison at Maan and A ^ a a 80 as ® l )r pon
revolt spreading into Syria. They have ample troops immediately at hand for that
purp it e 'is also not improbable that they may seek to re-establish their prestige witl.
the Arabs by means other than a direct attack on the S leu . ty may, k < •
decide to punish the rebellious Shiahs in Kerbela and Nejef, an opeia ion ^ nc i
have the additional advantages that it could be carried out y 10 ^,
Mesopotamia and would ultimately pave the way for an attack on the British base
at Bas £ a * It . g suggested that> if the War Committee approve, the following military and
nnvnl napusnres should be taken at once to support the Shenf .
(i.) The Commander-in-Chief in Egypt should make all possible preparation for the
occupation of El Arish and Akaba. -u t i • i
A force established at these places would directly threaten the lurkish
communication between Syria and the Hejaz, and would encourage t ic
Syrian Arabs, while at the same time effectively defending the eastern
frontier of Egypt. . ... ,
It is unlikely that the climatic conditions will admit of these operations
being undertaken before October, and their practicability must then be
considered in the light of the situation at that time.
The immediate steps required are :—That the railway now under
TTa-H’a eVirmlrl bp rmshed forward and all preparations made
for its rapid extension to El Arish ; , .
That plans for the occupation of Akaba should be elaboiated m
conjunction with Naval Commander-in-Chief. -n n 0
(ii.) Prevent by means of naval patrols the Turks from using the Bed Sea from
Hodeida to Lith. T1 . . n „ ,,
(iii.) Endeavour to obtain the co-operation of the Idrissi and, if possible, ol the
Imam in preventing the withdrawal of the 3 lurkish Divisions now m
Asir and Yemen. , ,
(iv.) Continue and develop the naval and the military measures designed to lead
the enemy to fear a landing at Alexandretta or Smyrna.
(v.) Take steps to meet the probable demands of the Idrissi and the Shenf for
arms and ammunition, as far as our requirements elsewhere permit.
General Staff,
War Office,
\
1st July, 1916.
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence, memoranda, maps, manuscript notes, and other papers relating to the political and territorial settlement of parts of the Middle East following the First World War. Many of the papers were collected for the attention of the Middle East Committee (later named the Eastern Committee, following the mergence of the Foreign Office's Russia Committee and the interdepartmental Persia Committee) of the War Cabinet. Contributors include officials from the War Office, Foreign Office, Admiralty, and 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. , as well as indivduals such as Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence. Correspondence comes from representatives of the French and Italian governments as well as British officials in Cairo and other parts of the Middle East.
The papers deal with plans for the region presuming and following an Allied victory in the First World War and take into consideration the imperial ambitions of the victorious European Powers (France, Italy, Russia, Britain, and the United States) and the multitudinous commitments made by the British to various groups. The plans are based on evolving agreements rooted in the Sykes-Picot, or Asia Minor, Agreement between the British and French of 1916. Regions under consideration include the Hejaz (sometimes written Hedjaz), Syria, Northern Iraq, Southern Iraq, Palestine, Armenia, Turkey, the Idrisi state, Yemen, Persia, and Afghanistan. Various matters are covered in the file, but particular focus is given to plans for the Sherifian family of the Hejaz, led by King Husein [Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī], which impacted upon policy in Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and the Arabian Peninsula. Other matters include the situation between Jews and Arabs in Palestine, wartime commitments to ruling shaikhs in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , the French position in the region, and desiderata of the Government of India for any peace settlement.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (187 folios)
- Arrangement
The file is arranged in chronological order from the front to the back.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front first page with 1, and terminates at the inside back last page with 187; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, 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.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F112/277
- Title
- Papers on British policy and the Arab movement
- Pages
- 1ar:1av, 1r:14r, 14r:14v, 14v, 22r:59v, 62r:98r, 99v:120v, 125r:133v, 136r:165r, 166r:167r, 167av, 168r:173r, 175r:176v, 178r:187v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence