"ملف X/١ ابن سعود وابن رشيد" [و‎‎٣‎٩] (٣٨٦/٧٧)

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Telegram clawed tlia 8tli February 1904#
Prom Seoretai 1 :/ of State London.
•Viceroy* Calouft •
Please refer to your Foreign Secretary's letter to
Colonel ' emballfl’b: 36, dated tiie 6 tli January.
TTitiiout the previous sanction of His Majesty's G-overa-
nent, no steps should be taken to enter into closer rela-
tion^Tith IGejd or send agents there.
Ho: 38, dated Busliire the 5th February 1904
Froia Lieutenant-Colonel C.A." emtall,C.I«:Officiating
Political Resident in the Persian Gulf,
To~ZJUW» Secretary to the Gosemmeoxt of
India in the Foreign Departtuont.
I have tae honour to acknowledge the receipt of your
Confidential letter Ho:36-.i* a., dated the 6 *bJ;.i January 1904,
in which you enquire whether, in my opinion, it would be
practicable h advisable to depute a IJuropean. officer to
visit the capital of the Saud family for the purpose of «
collecting intelligence.
As to the practicability of the proposal, it would,
I believe, be impossible for an Englishman, undisguised,
to find Ills vray to Eiadh either from /"atif or Ojair. The
Turks would almost certainly, at the present time, prevent
him from going throtigh. As regards the route from howeit,
I directed my First Assistant, Captain hunt, luring his
recent visit to I oweit, to ascertain confidentially from,
Sheihh Hubcirak his views on the subject.The Sheikh inform^
Captain hunt that the road was clear h thlst there would
be no difficulty in r-j*ranging for an. liiglish officer to
visit Hiadh. He would settle the matter witti Abdul Ealman
bin Fey sal, h \/ould send ; n escort & one of his sons with.
the