مجموعة ٦/ ١٩ "الجزيرة العربية: (المملكة العربية السعودية) التقرير السنوي لمملكة الحجاز ونجد." [و‎‎٥‎٤] (٥٤٠/١٠٨)

[17650] d*
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with acts of aggression against Nejd merchants. This arises partly from the
fact that many of them cross Transjordan with large flocks on their way to
Egypt or Palestine. If one or two camels, out of a flock of a hundred or more,
are stolen, it is not worth the merchant’s while to stop, and if he lodges a
complaint it is three months later after his return to Hail or Jauf. The Saudi
Frontier Inspector has been asked by Major Glubb to warn all Saudi merchants
of the importance of making an immediate complaint to the nearest Transjordan
police post. It appears, however, that many Nejdi merchants avoid all posts
when entering Transjordan, often travelling by night to elude the customs and
passport controls. If they reported any thefts to the police, the fact that they
were engaged in smuggling would become known. They therefore prefer to
demand reparation through diplomatic channels on their return to their own
country.
40. At the time of the conclusion of the Treaty of Friendship and Bon-
Voisinage between Saudi Arabia and Transjordan, it was decided that the
Command Paper to be published should contain only the treaty and the schedule
of rules mentioned in article 7 of the treaty, and not the text of certain letters
exchanged at the time. This agreement was observed on the British side, but in
February 1937 the Transjordan Government, acting under the misapprehension
that the omission to publish these letters was an error requiring rectification,
published the texts in the Transjordan Official Gazette. The High Commissioner
feared that this might cause some friction with the Saudi Government, but it
was pointed out by the Foreign Office that the texts in question, with the
exception of a list of the Beni ’Atiya, had appeared in the Umm-al-Qura, the
nearest approach to an Official Gazette in Saudi Arabia, in December 1933.
41. A special reconnaissance was carried out in Transjordan between
Mudawwara and the eastern end of Jabal Tubaik, to discover whether an
alternative oar track further to the north could be found. The High Commis
sioner for Transjordan reported that no suitable alternative track existed. He
believed that for that reason and also because the de facto car track had always
been used and the Saudi authorities had acquiesced in its use, the proposal to use
some other track should be dropped. The Colonial Office, after examining this
report, wrote to the Foreign Office saying that it was proposed to reply abandoning
for the present the suggestion that an alternative provisional line should be laid
down.
42. The Saudi Government again brought forward a request which it had
been found impossible to grant a year or two before, that merchants bringing
Saudi imports (usually cattle or cooking-butter) into Transjordan should be given
time to sell enough to pay the customs dues. They suggested various methods
by which they considered this could be made possible, but the Transjordan
authorities decided that to give effect to the proposal would be impracticable
under present conditions. The Acting High Commissioner of Transjordan added,
however, that in a revised Customs Law then under consideration it was intended
to make provision for the extension of facilities for the payment of customs dues
at places other than the place of entry.
The Yemen.
43. General relations between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen remained good.
The object of the mission of Saiyid Muhammad Zabara was never made public
(paragraph 32 of 1936), but it was noted that few Yemenis other than the Royal
party to be mentioned hereafter made the pilgrimage. Early in the year Saiyid
Abdullah-al-Wazir went to Jizan and met there the Saudi Amir of Jizan, and
they apparently came to an agreement on the boundary question. A quarrel
between Saudi and Yemeni subjects about the division of the water supply at
Haradh led to some feeling and lasted about six months, but it was at last settled,
Abdullah-al-Wazir again being the Yemeni delegate.
44. Three of the sons of the Imam came on the pilgrimage : Abdullah.
Husain and Qasim. They were .accompanied by Abdullah-al-Wazir and other
Yemeni notables. Owing to some misunderstanding or delay they were not met
by Saudi officials on arrival, but the Saudi authorities did their best to atone
for the mishap. The Princes were treated with Royal honours; they were the
guests of the King, and were kept close to him on all public occasions.