مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [ظ‎‎١‎٦‎٩] (٨٠٢/٣٣٩)

2
77. Telegrams of congratulation poured in on the King, one of the first
being that from His Majesty King George. It is curious, however, to note how
many heads of States, especially republics, who have relations with or have
recognised Ibn Saud, ignored the occasion. These defaulters included Messrs.
Ataturk, Roosevelt and Stalin. The most interesting telegrams were two from
the Imam, who, using all his habitual forms of piety, expressed horror and joy,
refused to believe that the assailants were Yemenis and suggested that, if they
were, they must have been instigated by some evil hand outside the Yemen. The
King’s own subjects were profuse in their loyalty. A Hejazi national tea-party
was given in Mecca on the 20th March to celebrate His Majesty’s escape. A
smaller party in Jedda on the 31st March was attended by the foreign
representatives, and four orators spoke the sentiments of the inhabitants in the
presence of the king and the heir apparent. Two of the speakers stressed the
note that the crime had been engineered by the enemies of Islam. Their language
was very much stronger than the tea.
78. Among the many functions at Mecca during the month was a great
parade of Nejdi troops, numbering, it is said, 30.000. The King was present, but
the Amir Saud led the sword dance, which, it appears, has been a regular feature
of such displays in the capital since its revival in 1931 (see paragraphs 9 and 8
respectively of the reports for January-February and March-April of that year).
79. The King and the heir apparent came to Jedda early on the 30th March.
The usual reception of foreign representatives was delayed a day owing to a
kingly colic and the remedial measures it necessitated. On the 31st March His
Majesty appeared to be in good form, if not so spontaneously lively as he
sometimes is. The heir apparent gave a series of separate audiences concurrently
with the King. The physical resemblance between them was again noticed both
by those who had not seen the prince since 1930, when he was last in Jedda, and
those who saw him for the first time. He was very self-possessed and very amiable,
but does not impress one as having anything like his father’s personality.
80. Fuad Bey Hamza was in Jedda on the 1st March, on the 24th-25th
March and from the 29th March over the end of the month.
81. The Saudi aircraft would appear to have remained in Taif throughout
the month. Another batch of six youths were chosen to go to Italy to be trained
in aviation, and were stated to have been passed fit after a medical examination
in Jedda. If they proceed to Italy, they will bring the total of students up to ten,
the maximum number which the Italian Government promised to accept. Little
\ more has been heard of the Arab Aeronautical Society, except as the recipient of
fairly handsome subscriptions from certain distinguished pilgrims. It may be
inferred that its promoters are working hard in Mecca.
82. No new economic developments were’ reported during the month.
Mr. Twitched and his colleagues in the service of the Saudi Arabian Mining
Syndicate (paragraph 44 of the last report) duly started for their possible gold
fields in the first week of March, and nothing has been heard of them since.
Mr. Philby was extremely dissatisfied with the motor transport arrangements
for the pilgrimage and accuses the Government of manipulating the distribution
of pilgrims among cars in a manner disadvantageous to Sharqieh (Limited)
(paragraph 45 of the last report). He is promoting a scheme for a single transport
organisation to supply all the requirements of the Government and the pilgrims,
who are catered for at present by four companies under Government auspices and
a larger number of private concerns.
83. The electrical plant intended for the Great Mosque at Mecca
(paragraph 48 of the last report) is still lying in Jedda. This was a great
disappointment to the donor, who himself came on pilgrimage for the first time
in a long life and hoped to see the result of his benevolence in Mecca.
II .—Frontier Questions and Foreign Relations in Arabia.
84. No trouble was reported from the Yemen frontier. The courier
mentioned in paragraph 51 of the last report would appear to have returned
to Sanaa, as one of the Imam’s telegrams to Ibn Saud, after the attempt on the
King’s life, began by acknowledging the receipt of a letter the kindness of
which had almost broken the recipient’s heart, to quote his own phrase. It is
too soon to say whether Saudi-Yemeni relations are likely to be affected by the
attempt. No conclusion can safely be drawn from the King’s continued gracious-