مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [و‎‎٢‎٣] (٨٠٢/٤٦)

II .—Frontier Questions and Foreign Relations in Arabia.
310. Zubara Dispute .—The Vmm-al-Qura on the 23rd July has an article
headed “ Is it true? ” followed by a quotation from the Al Nida newspaper of
Beirut, to the effect that war has been declared (by the Government of Bahrein)
^ against the Government of Qatar, and that the former Government had issued
orders to their subjects to return from pearl fishing. The dispute, says the Beirut
paper, concerns a town named Zubara. The Meccan paper makes no comment.
311. The answer to the newspaper’s enquiry was provided by the informa
tion received during the month that the Zubara dispute, which threatened at one
time to have repercussions in Saudi Arabia, had been settled, Sheikh Rashid of
Naim having entered into an agreement with the Ruler of Qatar to obey him as
long as he resided at Qatar.
III .—Relations with Powers outside Arabia.
312. The French Minister, M. Maigret, departed on leave on the
25th August for Beirut. His passport bore visas for Aden, the Y emen, Palestine,
Syria and Cyprus, which seems to indicate an extensive tour before Jedda sees
him again. He expects to tour the Red Sea in a French sloop, visiting Hodeida
and Jibuti before returning here.
313. The Italian Minister, M. Silitti, has not left Jedda iov his long-desired
leave. A special law granting the post of Jedda four months’ leave per year has
to be passed, but apparently M. Silitti cannot venture to leave at all until that
takes place. Meanwhile, he complains bitterly of having nothing to do, and
consoles himself by playing golf. The hot weather is slipping by and his
Excellency wishes to be here for the beginning of the pilgrim season, so that he
can tell Massawa exactly what to do and how to do it.
314. Copies of Arabic newspapers from Benghazi are still being distributed
in Jedda. A paper called the Berid Barca, containing a very emphatic leading
article on the delights of fascism for the Arabs and the fine intentions of
Mussolini in helping peoples such as the Egyptians to realise their independence,
was distributed towards the end of August.
315. The technique of distribution is not quite clear, but it is thought that
it works as follows : Parcels of papers arrive at the Jedda Post Office addressed
to the Italian Legation. The Legation cavass opens them in the Post Office and
gives some copies to the postal employees. The rest he distributes in some way in
the bazaar.
316. The Italian aviators are not at all happy. Colonel Ciancio did not
pilot an aeroplane on the 1st August when the Amir Saud arrived back in Jedda;
he was said to be ill, but the truth appears to be that he had taken offence at bad
treatment. The Amir Faisal is said to be wont to reprove the Saudi commandant
of Jedda, Said Bey Kurdi, for treating the Italians too well. But there is still
very little oil and the aeroplanes are scarcely ever flown. Four mechanics, having
served here for some months, left Jedda to their great relief in the middle of the
month, each man receiving a gratuity of £10; and four other Italians arrived to
replace them. Colonel Ciancio talks of leaving Jedda in disgust as soon as he
possibly can. ^ m , . . _ .
317. The recent visit of Sheikh Abdur Rahman-al-Tabashi to India was the
occasion of a reception at Bombay by Ismail Ghuznavi, and merits a short
comment in this report. The sheikh is responsible for the supply of food, clothing
and other personal needs of the Royal household at Riyadh. He normally employs
two agents, one at Bahrein and the other at Jedda. The latter is said to ha\e
charged £500 for one winter suit for the King from Syria, and other items have
been similar ; the sheikh has therefore, according to our reports, gone to India
via Koweit with the object of arranging some more economical method or
supplying the needs of the palace direct from India.
318. Early in the month of August it was observed that the weekly
Khedivial Mail steamer was flying the Egyptian flag instead of the British.
Messrs. Gellatly, Hankey and Co., the local agents, invited several Jeddawis
to a reception on board the mail boat to celebrate the change of flag. The
ship’s doctor took charge of the proceedings and appropriate speeches were made.
The Jeddawis were not, however, impressed by the new name “ Pharaonic Mail
Line ” which, it seems, is the title of a new holding company for which, in the
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