ملف [٤/١٠] العلاقات البريطانية مع بن سعود: لقب سلطان نجد؛ استسلام حائل؛ دفع الإعانات المالية البريطانية؛ عمليات هجوم الإخوان على الحدود العراقية والكويت؛ إنشاء جواز سفر نجد [و‎‎٢‎١‎٥] (٥٦٠/٤٢٩)

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Copy of a memorandum Bo. 53-C da ed 16th February
from the olitical Agent, Bahrain, to he Political
Heeiden in the Persian Gulf.
Your elegram ho. 311. 1 have no fionfirtoa ion
here of any recent events which would give he impression
that Bin baud’s power is yet very much on the wane, but I
have, I think, on more than one occasion in he last year,
xepor ed t :-at there were distince signs of Kis considerable
discon ent with his rule, particularly among the merchants
v i liassa, whose rade has suffered greatly from oppressive
laxation. Garden owner© at ^atif have been ;axed to such
an extent that many have offered to give up the gardens in
lieu of paying taxes. I eetimate that the * ulian has by
this time come to the end of the lump sum he received by
way of finishing hie subsidy, and as his popularity and
authori y uepended in a great measure on the amoiini of money
uc could hand ou , it will be he natural result that there
should be a gradual falling off of adherents. I have not
heard of any rupture between Ein Caud and larwish, bu should
it occur, it would undoub edly be a source of considerable
embarrassment to Bin auc, who with difficulty won him over
on a former occasion ,/hen they fell out.
I have for some time heard that the fanaticism of
be khv.an has much decreased. obacco is now openly sold
in Kassa. Although I in 3aud has in the past always reprec»
rented himself as being the only res'raining influence on
these wild tribesmen, in actual fact he has lost no oppor un—
-i y to encourage fanaticism, as it kept he /Jchwan together
and constituted his strength. he fac . hat it is decreasing
is, 1 thinx, a sign chat he is losing his hold to some ex ent.
1 am informed that the Sultan still looks very
unwell, hough hie health is said o be improving.