مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [ظ‎‎٢‎٦‎٦] (٨٠٢/٥٣٣)

-Mir--'
4
III .—Relations with Powers outside Arabia.
123. Anglo-Saudi relations continued to be eminently friendly under the
influence of the strong desire of both sides to let nothing cloud the prospects of
a settlement of the Transjordan question. Other questions were discusseij^*
in Sir Andrew Ryan’s conversations with the King and Fuad Bej^
but without insistence on either side. Apart from those adverted to
elsewhere, the most important was that of landing grounds for air
craft on the Hasa coast (see paragraph 378 of the report for November-
December), which formed the subject of a most unsatisfactory counter
memorandum handed by Fuad Bey to Sir Andrew Ryan on the 20th June. This
awaits elucidation and discussion. Just before the end of the month anxiety was
caused by reports that pressure was being brought to bear on British subjects and
British-protected persons from Africa to adopt Saudi nationality and/or to enlist
in the army under pain of expulsion. Sir Andrew Ryan wrote a cautionary note
on the subject to the Amir Feisal on the 30th June.
124. Nothing important is known of the proceedings of other foreign
representatives in June, except as regards the Iraqi success over Hashimite
properties (see paragraph 119). The Soviet Minister was again much in Mecca.
The French Charge was more of a hermit than ever, although he did appear at the
King’s birthday party at the British Legation. The corps continues to disinteg
rate as summer advances. The Italian Minister and the Turkish Charge left
according to plan. The former left in charge M. Tonci, an old colleague of the
writer in Morocco. He is very impressive in the Fascist vein, but has so far had
no spectacular opportunity of showing what he could do if the hair of a single
Italian were touched by Saudi Arabs. The Egyptian consul also went on leave,
leaving things very much as they have been for a long time past between Saudi
Arabia and Egypt. The new Czechoslovak consul is favourably described in a
letter from Jerusalem, which shows inter alia that he is also consul for Iraq and
that he may visit Jedda in the autumn.
125. Enquiries by the Saudi Minister in London led the Foreign Office to
address to the Legation on the 17th May an important restatement of the views
of His Majesty’s Government regarding the possible entry of Saudi Arabia into
the League of Nations. The general conclusion from a fresh review of pros and
cons was that, if the Saudi Government should again approach the Legation, its
attitude should be one of complete but sympathetic neutrality; readiness to help
with information; and avoidance of any language tending to minimise obstacles
or to encourage the Saudi Government io proceed hastily. As a matter of fact,
the Saudi Government have not pursued this question in Jedda for nearly two
years (see paragraph 49 of the report for July and August 1931).
IV .—M iscellaneous.
126. The reception at the Legation on the 3rd June in honour of the King’s
birthday was attended by over 110 persons, a very varied collection of British
subjects, members of foreign missions and local notables.
127. The Frenchwoman mentioned in paragraph 101 of the last report was
released on acquittal about the 28th June, and has since been a guest in the French
consulate pending a departure which it is hoped will end a peculiarly foolish and
squalid story.
128. Some attention was aroused by the execution in Mecca on or about the
8th June of three persons for robbery with murder. Torture was said to have been
used, and it is alleged that a fourth man died under the lash. It was not usual
to inflict capital punishment in Mecca under the Turkish and Hashimite regimes.
The Wahhabi view appears to be the better the place, the better the work of
justice.
129. Captain F. H. C. Armstrong fell seriously ill in Jedda just after the
series of audiences mentioned in paragraph 106 above. He was embarked for
Port Sudan under medical advice and under the care of Mr. Twitchell on the
18th June. He is making a good but slow recovery in hospital at Port Sudan.
130. There are some indications of an inclination on the part of the Saudi
Government to buy British. Early in the month they were reported to be
enquiring about aircraft hangars at about £800 apiece, and about shower-baths
possibly for pilgrim sanitation. luad Bey also mentioned to Sir Andrew Ryan