مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [ظ‎‎٣‎٣‎١] (٨٠٢/٦٦٣)

79. In March, however, the Hejazi Government weighed in with a formal
protest against three cases of alleged aerial trespass by British aircraft in the
same district on the 22nd and 23rd February and the 3rd March. The matter
was referred for enquiry.
Chapter V.— Military Matters.
General.
80. Ibn Saud is his own Minister for War and Commander-in-Chief. It is
true that the “ Council of Ministers ” decree, annexed, goes out of its way to state
that the President of the Council controls the Military Departments, but this
constitutional change has been denied by a responsible member of the Government.
Either he or the decree is wrong, probably the latter. The Military Departments
comprise a Directorate of Military Affairs (regulars) under an ex-Turkish
corporal, Hamdi Bey; a camel-corps (irregulars) under a Qaid al Hijan; and
Sheikh Abdullah Suieiman, who is also Director-General of Finance and King’s
Comptroller, as Quartermaster-General and Master of Ordnance.
A rmed Forces.
81. The Hejaz-Nejd memorandum of the 24th January communicated to the
Disarmament Conference at Geneva contained a lengthy dissertation on the
Arabian Peninsula. It may be summed up in the opening words of section 8 :
“ The natural and social conditions of this country are so extraordinary that they
may be regarded as peculiar to it. This also applies to the military organisation.
The following tables were annexed :—
Table I.— Total A rmed Forces.
Number of men ... ... ••• 43,437
Number of officers ... ... •• 734
Explanatory Notes.
(1) The armed forces consist of :—
(a) Police, 33 officers and 896 men.
(b) Regular troops, 53 officers and 1,780 men.
(c) Camel corps, 250 officers and 12,500 men.
(d) Coastguards, 14 officers and 211 men.
(e) Garrison troops, 350 officers and 26,500 men.
(/) Frontier guards, 23 officers and 1,400 men.
(a) Air force, 11 officers and 150 men.
(2) Military service is not compulsory, and men are engaged by voluntary
enlistment. In war-time, all males between 14 and 65 are liable for
active service. . .
(3) In certain units the period of service is not specified, the men serving tor
as long as they wish or for as long as they give satisfaction.
(4) The police, coastguards and regular troops serve under contract for a
definite period, which may not exceed five years.
Table II.— Air Force.
Number of aeroplanes ...
Total horse-power
Table III.— Annual Expenditure.
£ gold.
Police ... ••. ••• ••• 39,211
Coastguards ... ... ••• 11,340
Frontier guards ... ... ••• 35,000
Air force ... ... ••• ••• 12,000
Other categories ... ... ••• 633,950
Material and ammunition ... ... 98,450
Transport and communications ... 100,000