ملف ٧٠٥/١٩١٦ الجزء ٢ "انتفاضة عربية: التقارير العربية؛ تقارير السير م. سايكس" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٨] (٤٥٠/٢١٤)

l^ewcombe, R.E., D.S.O., who should be accompanied by an artillery, an infantry, and
a medical adviser.
On the same day and before the receipt of this telegram, the Foreign Office replied
[No. 812] to Sir H. McMahon’s telegram of the 4th October, saying that the
Commander-in-Chief in Egypt had expressed the opinion to the War Office that, if the
military control were coupled with a large measure of political control, the Sirdar wa^
the best man for the control of the arrangements for helping the Sherif in Hejaz.
Sir H. McMahon should arrange to give the Sirdar whatever political authority was
necessary for the purpose.
On the 11th of October Sir H. McMahon transmitted [No. 879] a telegram from
the Sirdar, saying that he proposed, as soon as he could make the necessary arrange
ments, to proceed to Jeddah or Kabegh, and that he should be glad if the Admiral in
command of the E,ed Sea, one of Sir Archibald Murray’s senior staff officers, and, if Sir
H. McMahon should think it desirable, representatives of the Arab Bureau and of the
High Commissioner s offices, should meet him there. He also wished to meet Abdulla
Bey with Colonels Wilson and Parker. After discussion in all its bearings of the
political and military situation, he hoped to formulate definite proposals for the future.
He wished this to be kept secret. YV hen the date and place of meeting were fixed, he
should give out locally that he was proceeding to Port Sudan for a week or ten days.
Sir H. McMahon replied on the 12th October | No. 885] that, in his opinion, the
only way of reaching any arrangement workable under the new conditions was for the
Sirdar, the naval Commander-in-Chief, and Sir H. McMahon himself to discuss matters.
Sir H. McMahon added that it appeared essential that the Sirdar should visit Cairo
before going to Jeddah, a course which incidentally would facilitate secrecy.
Sir R. Wingate’s reply to this was telegraphed by Sir H. McMahon on the
13th October [No. 888]. He said that for various reasons it was [? inconvenient] for
him to go to Cairo, and he did not think that any specially useful purpose would be
served by his doing so. It would be impossible for him to be in Egypt and not see the
Sultan. He was prepared to postpone his visit to Jeddah and to take over the political
and military responsibility for Hejaz affairs as instructed in the Foreign Office telegram
of the 9th October [No. 812], andi should like to have Sir H. McMcMahon’s views as to
the degree of political control which the latter considered should be entrusted to him.
His own idea was that “ it would be simpler if you gave me carte blanche”
The Defence of Eabegh.
On the 11th October Sir H. McMahon [No. 880] telegraphed a report which he
had received from Colonel Parker at Rabegh through Colonel Wilson at Jeddah.
Colonel Parker expressed the opinion that if the Turks attacked Rabegh under existing
conditions, the attack would probably be successful, but a British or Soudanese brigade
at Rabegh would be sufficient to save it, and prevent the Turkish advance on Mecca.
Colonel Wilson commenting on this said that as artillery could not be sent now,
there was a risk that a Turkish attack on Rabegh would be successful. The Sherif had
asked that British troops should be held in readiness for despatch to Rabegh if this
should be necessary ; and the principle that British troops should be sent in case of
necessity^ had been approved. Both the Sherif arid Abdulla constantly asked whether a
British force was ready to go to Rabegh if necessary.
Colonel Parker expressed himself as against sending a flight of aeroplanes unless it
were part of a British force ; but Colonel Wilson could not grasp why it should be
useful with a British force and useless without one. The Sirdar, in his telegram to
Sir H. McMahon op. the [?] 11th October, said that he was of opinion that aeroplanes
and their escort of 200 men now on board ship at Suez should be sent to Rabegh as
soon as possible. Pie adhered to this opinion after receipt of the above Parker-Wilson
telegram.
On the same day, the 11th October, the.Sirdar telegraphed to Sir PI. McMahon
[No. 881], saying that in consequence of tiie views expressed by Colonels Parker and
Wilson, he recommended that a British brigade should be forthwith placed under
orders for Rabegh and arrangements made for its immediate conveyance thereto.
Colonel Wilson should inform Abdulla of this, and if the latter asked for them, they
should be sent without delay.
On the 12th October Sir H. McMahon transmitted [No. 884] another telegram
received from the Sirdar, in which the latter reiterated his opinion in regard to
the despatch or aeroplanes and a brigade of British troops.
On the following day Sir H. McMahon transmitted [No. 888] a further telegram