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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [189r] (382/898)
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.
T>
My s laovernment. J
EASTERN (Arabia) .
5102
[October 17, 1927.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 1.
! 927 J
[E 4389/644/91] No L
C ° nsul St ^ewer-Bird to Sir Austen Chamberlain.~(Received October 17)
(No. 111.) ''
Sir
. 1 HAVE the honour to transmit herewith my repmt^/theTituatlo^fn^he
Hejaz during the period the 1st September to the 27th September 1927
transmission'^o tte^P^f T b ^ ng ““N 0 E ^P t ’ Jerusalem (2), Jerusalem for
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
RaJd jd R A y d F° r n 0ffic “ Comma nJing in Palestine and
Sudan, Smgapore g Lagos (2) ’ ’ Ut ’ Damascus ’ Khartum trough Port
I have, &c.
F H. W. STONEHEWER-BIRD.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Jeddah Report: Period September 1 to September 27, 1927.
i situation, both internal and external, has improved since the date of the
last Jeddah report. Ibn Bujad and Eeisul-el-Derweish have given no signs of
uni riendly feeling, though the latter has shown himself embarrassingly inquisitive
on the subject of the establishment of military posts near the Iraq border. This
action, taken, I gather, as much in the interests of Nejd as Iraq with a view to
minimising the risk of border raids, has aroused much speculation and hostile
ciitieism. Ibn baud is much worried, and has protested to the Iraq Government on
the grounds that, in virtue of the agreement between the two countries, fortifications
may not be erected in such close proximity to the frontier.
2. Though Iraq is no doubt fully justified in taking these measures to prevent
the recurrence of the raiding evil, it is unfortunate that news of the establishment
of the posts should have disturbed the minds of the Nejdis at a moment when the
King, as the result of continual pressure, was on the point of giving his consent
to the projected Air Force reconnaissance in Hassa. His Majesty had declared
himself anxious to meet the wishes of His Majesty’s Government, and had made it
clear that the deciding factor would be the temper of the tribesmen. When last
questioned on the subject on the eve of his departure from Jeddah, the King regretted
that he could not, in view of the present feeling in Hassa, give immediate sanction;
he trusted, however, that the feeling was merely transitory; he renewed his promise
to visit Hassa in the near future, and hoped to be able to give the necessary sanction.
3. Ibn baud paid his first visit to Jeddah since the departure of Sir Gilbert
Clayton on the 6th September, and remained until the 24th September. Ratifications
of the Treaty of Jeddah concluded on the 20th May were exchanged on the
17th September, and the text of the treaty and of the notes exchanged at the time
of signature was published on the 23rd September in an edition of the
“Um-el-Kura” devoted almost entirely to this purpose. This official organ, the
only newspaper in the Hejaz or Nejd, makes no comment whatsoever on the treaty.
From official sources I learn that it received an excellent reception by the public.
Private information reveals surprise on the part of the Jeddah public that so few
and such minor questions were treated ; they had been waiting for something much
more sensational. It is as well that the publication of the notes exchanged was not
withheld as the King originally wished, as the idea that a separate unpublished
agreement was concluded would certainly have gained currency.
4. The King, in the course of a private interview, opened his heart on the
subject of Italy. He was in his own mind thoroughly convinced that the Italians
had been giving active support to the Imam in a policy which could only lead to
hostilities. The Idrisi had placed himself under his, Ibn Saud’s, protection. Asir
was, moreover, geographically one with the Hejaz. He had no hostile intentions
towards the Imam, but he could not allow him to interfere in Asir. The recent
[259 r—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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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [189r] (382/898), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1115, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100084998360.0x0000b7> [accessed 31 March 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