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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [177r] (358/898)
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.
EASTERN (Arabia).
CONFIDENTIAL.
[E 484/484/91]
i Consul Stonehewer-Bird to Sir Austen Ckamberlain.-(Received January 30 )
(No. 2.) ^
Sir,
Lagos (Iwo) ’ BeilUt ’ DamaBC " s > Kh »tum through Port Sudan, Singapore!
I have, &c.
F. H. W. STONEHEWER-BIRD.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Jeddah Report for Period December 1 to 31, 1927.
eurron, E i December been chiefly notable for the number of rumours
unent m the book—rumours of war and rumours of internal strife—wild bazaar
gossip is an epidemic which rages most strongly when, as at the present time, there is
slump in the pilgrim trade. Preparations were, the gossips told us, being made for
wai against Iraq 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
. The Gut Gut, Ibn Bujad’s tribe, had seized Taif.
me latter rumour was later categorically denied, and the former appears to have arisen
owing o the arrival at Jeddah and transport to Mecca of the cartridges and clips
^recently ordered m England. To effect the transport of this ammunition, camels were
|commandeered by the Government and no payment was made to the owners or drivers.
I . le W su ^ was a strike lasting four days, during which time newly arrived Javanese
'pilgrims were obliged to delay their departure for Mecca.
• ^.-,9 a ! T1 . eImen have ’ llowever > scored a valuable point this year. The idea has been
instilled into the Javanese by certain leaders of religious thought, prompted beyond a
doubt by interested parties, that to travel to Mecca by car is an act of impiety. If this
view spreads, the outlook for those who have invested heavily in cars is poor. There
are at present more than 300 cars equipped for the pilgrimage traffic, and it is believed
that the total will reach 500 in the course of the next few months.
3. Though many of the more onerous regulations which the recent religious
proclamation sought to impose, such as the compulsory wearing of a beard and the
prohibition of jewellery and silk raiment, have been removed, there still remain certain
restrictions unpalatable to European residents, notably the prohibition of the import of
1 gramophones and, more bitter still, the strict rationing of strong liquor. As drinking
to the strains of the gramophone is the staple recreation of a large section of the
colony, the blow is hard.
J. Events on the Nejd-Iraq frontier have naturally formed a constant topic of
conversation, and much ink has been spent thereon in the local press. The tone both
of discussions and articles is conciliatory, though resentment is shown at the criticism
of Ibn Sand in the English and especially in the Iraq press. It is felt that the King
has loyally adhered to his engagements, and that Iraq, by establishing a post at
Busaiyah without, b\’previous warning, affording the King an opportunity of explaining
the situation to the frontier tribes, was asking for trouble. The press insists that the
establishment of the post was a breach of the agreement, while the Director of Foreign
Affairs, as the result of a study of the latest War Office map of the district, now
considers the question debatable. In any event he holds the action of the Iraq
authorities to have been, if not disloyal, discourteous and ill-advised. Ibn Saud, he
affirms, is doing all in his power to counter Feisal-el-Derweish’s action.
5. Nevrs Irom Asir has been scrappy, though Dr. Damluji recently stated that
the conference at dizan had reached a deadlock, that the Hejaz representative was
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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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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