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File 1707/1924 ‘Arabia:- Jeddah Situation Reports. (1924-1930)’ [378r] (760/898)
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.
Yusuf Yasin, a Syrian journalist of no repute.
Muhammad Bey Nahhas, a Syrian, who was in the Finance Department when
Faisal was ruler of Syria.
Hafiz Wahbi, an Egyptian belonging to the Hizb-al-Watani.
8. The Jeddah-Port Sudan cable touches land on this side at a point some
2 miles north of Jeddah town. This point is some distance outside the fortified area,
and the Wahabis have cut the cable and have hitherto frustrated the attempts of
the Hedjaz Government to repair it and keep it intact. The Hedjaz Government
have therefore applied to the Sudan authorities for the Eastern Telegraphs cable
ship “Mirror ” to be sent to transfer the head of the cable to a point inside the
wire. The political objections to this are obvious, and there would appear to be
military risks too, unless a fresh piece of cable could be laid from Jeddah town and
joined to the cable at a point some distance out to sea. The Sudan Government
have consented to accept and transmit wireless messages from and to Jeddah wireless
station, but this is an emergency measure.
9. The Hedjaz Government are still maintaining the bl ockade, in theory. A
few days ago the steamship “ Raghmatain ” made a raid to the south, and brought
back five or six dhows which are alleged to have been attempting to evade the
blockade. They are all Hedjaz craft. According to our information, plenty of
small craft, owned by Hedjazis and Yemenis, are entering the blockaded ports, and
it has been necessary to recommend to His Majesty’s Government that British
subjects should be told that the declaration of blockade can be disregarded.
In reply to an enquiry, in what court and under what law cases by which British
subjects might be affected would be heard, the Hedjaz Government replied that
“ maritime cases, if there are any, will be heard in the maritime court, under the
special law applicable.” The Hedjaz authorities know nothing about international
law, and no court they could set up could be expected to act in a manner which would
satisfy a foreign Government.
10. No pilgrims have arrived except about thirty-five Africans (most of them
Nigerians), who seem to have been allowed to leave the Sudan through some mistake.
It is not the moment to add to the foreign population of Jeddah. No useful forecast
about the Haj can be made at present. All we can say is that the pilgrimage will
j be impossible unless Jeddah and Mecca are in the same hands by then, and that the
chances are in favour of their being in Ibn Sand’s hands.
Mecca appears to be quite quiet, but prices are very high. Several score of
Javanese refugees from there have just left Jeddah for Batavia. According to their
story all the Javanese would leave Mecca if they could bring their luggage with them.
February 10, 1925.
11. The Wahabis on the southern side of the town seem to be making unskilful
attempts to approach the wire by means of trenches. Two or three attacks by ^ m Ml
bodies of men (perhaps a hundred or so each) were made on the night ofc the
9th-10th February, but they were beaten off.
The Wahabi bombardment of Jeddah, which went on during the hours oi day
light (with decent intervals for lunch) for four days, seems to have come to an
end for tfie'present. Six or seven guns were used. Most of the shells were very
small, but there were some 7-5 cm. and—it is said—some 9 cm. The total civilian
casualties are stated officially to be four killed and seven wounded, some of them
Severely ' R. W. BULLARD.
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