مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [ظ‎‎٩‎٧] (٨٠٢/١٩٥)

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reply and asked for observations. Mr. Calvert made certain comments, but
further views are being sought from His Majesty’s Government, to whom the
matter has been referred. It was interesting to hear so cautious a person as
Sheikh Yusuf Yasin express the view, at the close of the conversation, that the
Iranian claim to Bahrein was rather a “ joke, 5 ' and confess to being highl y^
amused whenever he heard it advanced.
253. The Saut-al-Hejaz announced on the 14th July that the Egyptian
Government had decided to raise their representation here from a consulate to a
Legation, and that Abdurrahman Azzam, who is already accredited to Iraq and
Iran, was to be Charge d’Affaires in addition to his other capacities.
254. The French Legation are understood to be having some difficulty with
the Saudi authorities over the effects of M. Biraud (paragraph 239), which the
Saudis wish to examine. It is believed that the Saudis are in possession of the
baggage, but that the French have the keys.
255. The Dutch Legation is still in charge of the Javanese vice-consul, who
left on an official visit to the Yemen on or about the 9th July.
256. The Italian Charge stated towards the end of the month that he had
recently had three or four cases of the repatriation of ex-slayes to Ethiopia.
Enquiry elicited the fact that the individuals concerned are Ethiopians enslaved
in this country, but freed here by their owners before being repatriated by the
Italian Legation. Signor Persico quoted the case of a benevolent old Javanese
master, who not only freed his slave, but handed £40 to the Italian Legation to
defray the cost of repatriation. Signor Persico declared that whilst the Eritrean
authorities made no difficulties over cases of the sort, it was far otherwise with
Italians who wished to go to Eritrea. A member of his colony here, who had
recently proposed to go to Asmara, was refused permission on the grounds that
he had not definite employment to go to in Eritrea with a company who had
formally asked for permission for him to enter the country. This stringency is
apparently designed to obviate unemployment in Eritrea.
IV .—M iscellaneous.
257. After an unsually cool May and June temperatures began to climb,
particularly towards the end of July, when, with a southerly wind blowing,
minimum night temperatures, for example, reached 87^ degrees. It can now
definitely be said that “ Summer is i-cumen in.”
258. The first two ships for the next Haj will leave Singapore, according to
the Umm-al-Qura, on the 8 th October and the 2nd November, with Javanese
pilgrims.
259. A Turk, said to have come from Ethiopia and there to have been
chauffeur to the Negus, arrived on the 26th July in search, it is said, of
emplovment.
260. The position as regards the manumission of slaves by the Legation
during July was as follows :—*
On hand at the beginning of the month : 2 males.
Took refuge in July : 2 males, 4 females.
Manumitted and repatriated : Nil.
Locally manumitted : Nil.
Left voluntarily : 1 male.
On hand at the end of the month : 3 males, 4 females.
261. A slave of Abyssinian origin, claiming to have been born at Addis
Ababa, took refuge with the Legation. As repatriation in the present
circumstances of Ethiopia appeared likely to present difficulties, telegraphic
correspondence with Addis Ababa and the Foreign Office took place, but it was
eventually unnecessary to come to a decision in this particular case as the man
left the Legation premises voluntarily towards the end of the month, whilst the
matter was still under consideration.