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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [17r] (38/898)
The record is made up of 1 volume (445 folios). It was created in 13 Mar 1924-18 Mar 1931. 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.
his life, property and personal freedom and would travel to the Heiaz via
Damascus. He asked for telegraphic confirmation.
This communication drew from Fuad Bey the reply that Ibn Baud’s promise
to King Feisal to grant “ Aman ” to Ibn Mashhur needed no further confirmation
and that it was impossible to agree to Ibn Mashhur coming by the Damascus
route. Fuad Bey at once came to Jedda to talk the matter over with His Majesty’s
Charge d’Affaires. He explained that it was Ibn Baud’s intention neither to
imprison nor to dispossess Ibn Mashhur. His life was assured, and he would not
▼ be held to account for the crimes of lese-majeste and rebellion against the State,
but would have to answer any civil claims for damages caused by his raids. Fuad
Bey insisted, moreover, that the proposed method of his return offered no
guarantee that he would leave Syria and reach the Hejaz or would, indeed, be
allowed by the French to leave.
In transmitting these observations on the 14th September, His Majesty’s
Charge d Affaires pointed out that earlier in the year His Majesty’s Government
had stated that they could not agree to Ibn Mashhur’s return to Syria except by
consent of the French Government, in view of his past history and close
association with Syrian rebels. He enquired whether it would not be possible to
deliver the man by air to the Hejaz authorities at Wejh or the Hejaz-Nejd agent
at Amman, where his presence might be opportune to the investigation of his
raids by Mr. MacDonnell. His Majesty’s Government found that Fuad Bey’s
attitude was not unreasonable, and expressed to Bagdad the hope that agreement
would be reached with the Hejaz-Nejd for Ibn Mashhur’s return by one or other
of the more direct routes that had been mentioned or else by the authorities in
the Iraq Southern Desert, but it was learned on the 19th September that
King Feisal and ex-King Ali regarded it as essential to their honour that Ibn
Mashhur should go to Ibn Saud of his own free will. Variously described as an
untutored Bedouin youth and a tall, intelligent fellow of 40, he refused to travel
either by sea or by way of Nejd.
Ibn Saud at length, on the 7th October, received a telegram from King Feisal
simply saying that Ibn Mashhur was proceeding. It was learned, however, on
the 10th that he had not left, but that the Acting High Commissioner for Iraq
had advised King Feisal that he should communicate with Ibn Saud about the
proposed arrangements for his journey. His Majesty’s Government had
meanwhile suggested that Ibn Mashhur be flown to Suez and shipped thence to
Jedda, or to Amman, and motored thence to Qaryat, but apparently
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
was considered too hot for him, and, in any case, he refused to fly. Both
King Feisal and his Prime Minister were strongly in favour of his travelling by
Damascus, and the Iraq Government took full responsibility for his arrival at
Jedda and said they would send one of their own men with him.
On the 15th October His Majesty’s Government telegraphed strongly
deprecating the proposal to send Ibn Mashhur through Syria unless Ibn Saucl
had definitely stated that he had no objection. The risk of his escape in Syria
was very great and could not fail to have most serious consequences. His
Majesty’s Charge d’Affaires expressed the fear, however, that it would be a
waste of time and also impolitic to press Ibn Saud further to agree to the Syrian
route, for any such agreement on his part could not fail to engage his own as well
as the Iraq Government’s responsibility in circumstances over which neither of
them would have full control.
King Feisal was reported to be much upset at what he termed the unnecessary
interference of His Majesty’s Government in a matter which concerned himself
and Ibn Saud alone. He had pledged his honour that Ibn Mashhur would reach
Jedda and held his family and dependants as hostages. The route he took was
no concern of Ibn Saud’s. If the French did not interfere with him, King Feisal
was confident of getting him safely through Syria. After an exchange of views
between London, Bagdad, Beirut, Jerusalem and Cairo, the Syria-Palestine-
Egypt route was eventually decided upon, the French authorities in Syria having
said that they had nothing against Ibn Mashhur; on the other hand, they could
not make any arrangements to prevent his escape there, for on entering Syrian
territory he would be free to remain or leave as he saw fit. His Majesty’s Govern
ment added that arrangements must be made to provide an adequate and reliable
Iraqi escort for the entire journey to Suez. Ibn Mashhur, accompanied by
King Feisal’s envoy, Sheikh Saada, accordingly left Bagdad on the 6th November
for Syria, and there he went to ground.
King Feisal expressed himself as very angry and ashamed at the trick Ibn
Mashhur had played him. He sent his aide-dh-camp to Damascus to explain to
[328 e—1] c
About this item
- Content
The volume mostly contains printed copies of despatches from HM Agent and Consul, Jeddah, to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, enclosing reports on the situation in the Hejaz (also spelled Hedjaz in the file) [now a region of Saudi Arabia], from January 1924 to December 1930, and related enclosures to the reports. These despatches were sent to the Under-Secretary of State for India by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The volume also includes 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. Political and Secret Department minute papers, which include comments on the reports, and indicate that the reports had been seen by the Under-Secretary of State for India and the Political Committee of the Council of India.
The reports are monthly for January to August 1924, May 1925, September 1925 to March 1927, June 1927 to June 1930, and December 1930. Reports between these dates cover shorter periods, except July and August 1930, which are both covered by one report, and September, October and November 1930, which are also covered by one report.
The reports discuss matters including the actions of King Hussein ibn Ali al-Hashimi of the Hejaz, including his attempts to gain recognition as Caliph, and the military and financial situation in the Hejaz during the war between the Hejaz and the Saudi Sultanate of Nejd [Najd]. They report on events of the Hedjaz-Nejd war including: the capture of Taif (September 1924) and Mecca (October 1924) by Nejd; the departure of the ex-King Hussein from Jeddah; the fall of Medina and Jeddah and the surrender of the Hejaz to Sultan Abdul Aziz of Nejd [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd, also known as Ibn Saud] (December 1925); and the formal assumption of the title of King of the Hejaz and Sultan of Nejd and its Dependencies by Ibn Saud (8 January 1925).
The reports following the annexation of the Hejaz by Nejd cover internal affairs, including prohibitions introduced for religious reasons, the Hejaz Railway, the financial situation of the Hejaz-Nejd Government, and the Hejaz Air Force. They also report on foreign relations, including: the publication of an agreement, dated 21 October 1926, between Ibn Saud and Sayyid Hassan-el-Idrisi, establishing the suzerainty of Ibn Saud over Asir; relations between Ibn Saud and Imam Yahya of the Yemen; the situation on the frontiers between Nejd and Iraq, and Nejd and 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 ; and the Treaty of Jeddah between Hejaz-Nejd and Great Britain (20 May 1927). They also report Ibn Saud being proclaimed King of the Hejaz, Nejd and its Dependencies (4 April 1927).
In addition, other frequently occurring topics in the reports are: the Pilgrimage [Hajj], including the arrival of pilgrims in the Hejaz, from India, Java and elsewhere, arrangements for the pilgrimage, the welfare of pilgrims, and the repatriation of pilgrims; and the slave trade and slavery in the Hejaz, including the manumission and repatriation of slaves.
The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (445 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
The subject 1707 (Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)) consists of one volume only.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 447; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 4-444; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [17r] (38/898), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1115, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100084998359.0x000027> [accessed 7 April 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/1115
- Title
- File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:88v, 90r:104v, 106r:108v, 110r:124v, 126r:128v, 129v:132v, 133v, 134v:137v, 139r:145r, 146r:161v, 162v:180v, 183r:205v, 206v:267r, 269r:271v, 273r:288v, 291r:308v, 309v, 310v, 311v, 312v, 313v, 314v, 315v, 316v, 317v:321r, 324r:335r, 337r:378v, 379v:381v, 383v:389v, 391r:393v, 395v:397v, 399r:400r, 402r:446v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence