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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [185r] (374/898)
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.
jTtoJjoci^nsJ^ Property of His Britannic Man y’s Government.]
EASTERN (Arabia) ,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[E 5083/644/91]
P
5732
i 9 2 7
No. “ir~
November 29, 1927.
Section 1.
Consul Jakins to Sir Austen Chamberlain.—{Received November 29.)
(No. 123.)
Sir
’ t xt \ \ 7 'c ^ t . . Jeddah, November 6 , 1927.
xx • 1 i ±AVJji ^x llono ! ir 1 t0 transmit herewith my report on the situation in the
Elejaz during the period the 28th September to the 31st October, 1927
2. Copies of this report are being sent to Egypt, Jerusalem (2), Jerusalem for
transmission to the Royal Air f orce Officer Commanding in Palestine and Trans-
Jordan, Bagdad, Aden, Simla, Beirut, Damascus, Khartum (through Port Sudan)
Singapore, Lagos (2). .
3. An extract of paragraphs 22 to 24 has been sent to His Majesty’s
Ambassador at Constantinople.
I have, &c.
H. G. JAKINS.
Enclosure in No. 1
Jeddah Report for the Period September 28 to October 31, 1927.
THE period which has elapsed since the last report has produced the usual
talk of unrest in the interior. The ball this month seems to have been started with
the urgent order of the King for motor cars from Egypt, and, in the snow of indolent
minds in the sooks, soon rolled into alarming proportions. Riyiadh reported a
murderous attempt on the King’s eldest brother; batches of high officials and
notables had been deported from Mecca to Taif only to die mysteriously on arrival.
Medina was in ferment and open revolt imminent. In fact, the old cry “ Wolf! ”
had been raised.
2. The usual skeleton of fact can, of course, be discovered. There is no doubt
as to poverty and distress in the country, and, owing to the long absence of rain, the
survival of the camels is even threatened. There seems also to have been an undue
proportion of incidents in Medina and Mecca, but all these, even accompanied by a
fresh outburst of Wahabi fanaticism, should give no cause for serious alarm.
3. At Medina, apparently, the Governor, suspected of intrigues against the
King, has been replaced by the Governor of Taif. Moreover it has been confirmed
{ that the trees in the mosque of the Prophet have been cut down and the well filled in.
4. In Mecca the Acting Grand Kadi and the Minister of Awkaf have been
arrested and sent away to an unknown destination. The Religious Committee has
issued new orders forbidding public mourniug, the shaving of beards, and the
wearing by men of silken clothes and gold and silver ornaments. Barbers and tailors
are held under strict injunction. In addition, attendance at the mosque at prayer
time is made compulsory, and rules are laid down—probably with his tongue in his
cheek by the young and dissolute Hussein Mahommed Nasif, head of the committee—
for the proper moral conduct of women.
5. It is not. however, to be imagined that a people so thoroughly permeated
with the atmosphere of their religion as the Hejazis are likely to resist the new
decree. On the contrary, they well know how to adjust themselves to altered circum
stances. It is observed, for instance, that in promulgating the order in Jeddah, the
Kaimakam has permitted himself the deviation which allows him still to enjoy his
cigarette at home while forbidding smoking in the street. Nevertheless, the orders
do constitute a disturbing element at a time when, the pilgrimage not having begun,
the Hejazi has the leisure to indulge in uneasiness. . .
6. A further and probably much more significant cause of unrest is to be found
in the gradual insinuation of Nejdians into executive positions in the Hejaz.
Nejdians have now been appointed chiefs of police in Mecca and Jeddah and are
credited with the intention of replacing the existing forces by recruits from their
own country. A Nejdian kadi has been sent to Rabigh to govern the Harb, and
[287 ff—1]
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