مجموعة ٦/ ١٩ "الجزيرة العربية: (المملكة العربية السعودية) التقرير السنوي لمملكة الحجاز ونجد." [و‎‎١‎٨‎٦] (٥٤٠/٣٧٢)

21
their recognition (of Ibn Sand) did not involve any admission that they accepted
the Saudi point of view in regard to Asir. It was stated that this had been
explained to the Amir Feisal during his stay in Rome, in the course of which
ratifications of the two treaties were exchanged on the 22nd April. The Embassy
gained the impression that the Italian Foreign Office were allowing the Asir
question to remain dormant in the hope that it would settle itself.
73. Space does not admit of a full account of the two treaties. They
contained no less than four most-favoured-nation clauses. The Italian Govern- ,
ment had given way to the Saudi objection to any mention in the treaties of
co-operation in the suppression of the slave trade, and they expressly agreed in
an exchange of letters not to claim in virtue of most-favoured-nation treatment
the right to manumit and repatriate slaves in the same way as £< a third Power,”
i.e., Great Britain. They salved their consciences by a rather ingenious
combinazione expressed in a further exchange of letters. It was recorded on the
Italian side that the Italian Government wished Ibn Saud to assume the
obligation of co-operating with them in the suppression of the slave trade, and
that they also desired for their representative in Jedda the power to manumit
and repatriate slaves making spontaneous application. The Saudi note declared
that, since his arrival in the Hejaz, Ibn Saud had exerted himself to prevent the
importation of slaves into his territory, with the result that it might be said that
for several years no person had been able to import them. It added that the
Saudi Government would spontaneously persevere in this line of action; and, as
regards manumission, that they were pursuing the highest Islamic ideals, but
could not grant the power desired by the Italians, as the matter was one of
domestic concern.
74. Apart from the ratification of the treaties, the visit of the Saudi
mission to Italy had no political importance, but it was well staged and led to a
little business in motor cars. In May the Italian Government transformed their
mission in Jedda into a Legation and appointed as Minister a gentleman of
practically no previous experience in the East. M. de Peppo arrived in Jedda on
the 25th September and presented his credentials to the Amir Feisal, in the
King’s absence, two days later.
75. Friendship with the Imam Yahya remains the corner stone of Italian
policy in South-Western Arabia. Ibn Saud’s suspicion of this policy was
stimulated in the latter part of the year by the tolerance shown in Eritrea to the
members of the Dabbagh conspiracy, who had made much use of Massawa and
had connexions in Asmara. His Government were perturbed by a report in
August that Signor Grandi and the Egyptian Premier had been "discussing the
situation in the Hejaz. The King’s resentment was naturally inflamed by the
actual outbreak of rebellion in Asir early in November, and he may have leant to
the belief, held in some other quarters, that Italy had a finger in that pie. There
is no reason to credit this, but the Italians seem to see no reason why they should
not extend hospitality to anti-Saudians while Ibn Saud harbours the Senussi.
A distinct breeze blew up between the two Governments towards the end of i
December over the proceedings of an Italian sloop which went to Jizan on the !
21st December and played about in Asir territorial waters for some days. The
Saudi Government protested strongly, but allowed themselves to be placated by
explanations, in which, if the Saudi version can be trusted, the Italian Govern
ment once more avoided asserting a position in regard to the King’s sovereingty
over Asir, but would appear to have acquiesced in it as at least a practical
hard fact.
Netherlands.
f here is little to record under this head except that early in the year
the Saudi Government engaged a Dutch financial adviser (see paragraph 126),
and that at the end of the year the Netherlands Charge d’Affaires in Jedda was
very displeased with Saudi tergiversations over a question relative to the
repatriation of Javanese destitutes. The existence of large numbers of these in
Mecca had confronted the Netherlands Government with a problem which private
benevolence in Java seemed likely to solve. The continued decline in the
[8544] n 11