مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [و‎‎٦‎٣] (٨٠٢/١٢٦)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Arabia).
March 22, 1937.
CONFIDENTIAL.
^
Section 3.
[E 1634/580/25] Copy No. 118
Sir R. Bullard to Mr. Eden. — (Received March 22.)
(No. 28. Secret.)
Jedda, March 1. 1937.
I HAVE the honour to submit herewith the Jedda report for February 1937.
2. Copies have been distributed as in the list in paragraph 67.
I have, &c.
R. W. BULLARD.
Enclosure.
Jedda Report for February 1937.
I .—Internal Affairs.
1 68. King Abdul Aziz arrived at Mecca on the 16th February with his sons
(twenty-three in number, exclusive of the Amirs Saud and Feisal). The Amir
Saud returned to Riyadh early in February, after his visit to Mecca to see his
mother, who was ill. According to the press he will stay in Riyadh until mid-
March, when he will proceed on the promised visit to Iraq. Fuad Bey informed
His Majesty s Minister that the Amir’s departure for Bagdad had been postponed
in order that he might be in Riyadh to receive Mr. Rendel (paragraph 92 below).
Sheikh Hafiz Wahba, Saudi Minister in London, who arrived at Mecca via Iraq
recently, is to meet Mr. Rendel at Uqair. He came to Jedda for a few hours on
the 24th February to talk to His Majesty’s Minister about several matters.
69. The piastre scheme (paragraph 8) occupies about five-sixths of a
twelve-page special number of the Saut-al-Hejaz, published just before
pilgrimage day in a determined effort to get money out of the pilgrims. It even
contains an appeal in English, beginning : “ Here is a golden occasion to show
the unanimity of Mohammedan corps and their co-operation elevating the value
of the Mohammedan wholy lands and their natives successfully to "economical
projects.” There is also an advertisement appealing to pilgrims to buy Medina
dates, packed in half and quarter-kilog. boxes, under the piastre scheme, to
take home as “ A Present from Medina.” The profits of the scheme are to be
used for the establishment of a date-packing factory. The advertisement at least
is up to date, in that it urges the reader to “ avoid imitations ” and to “ seize
the chance before it is gone.”
70. It is a sign of financial stress that the Saudi Government owe the
Eastern Telegraph Company (Limited) over £2,000 on the telegraph account.
They paid £1,000 in January, but left the balance outstanding. Some of the
telegrams covered by this account were despatched as long ago as October. In
j spite of the receipts from the pilgrim traffic, officials are still five months in arrear
j with their pay. One official, who is in a position to know the facts, asserts that.
\ nevertheless, the King’s bill for walnuts and pistachio nuts alone for his last
^hunting trip was 8.000 riyals (about £650).
71. Another sign of shortage of money is the determined effort made to
induce pilgrims to subscribe for various charitable and other schemes. One
Eritrean pilgrim (Italian propaganda, this) is reported in the Umm-al-Qura as
subscribing 2 pounds gold to the Aviation Society, 2 to the Asylum for Orphans
and Aged Persons, 2 to the Charitable Society and 1 to the piastre scheme
Mutawwifs are now being given books of 1-riyaftickets for the Aviation Society,
the number of tickets being calculated according to the number and reputed wealth
of their pilgrims. They have to pay for the tickets, and to pass them on to the
pilgrims if they can. But no complaint of these activities has been received
from any British pilgrim. Pilgrims reckon to spend what they can in charity
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