ملف ٧٠٥/١٩١٦ الجزء ٢ "انتفاضة عربية: التقارير العربية؛ تقارير السير م. سايكس" [و‎‎٢‎٠‎٠] (٤٥٠/٣٩٧)

a complete Quarantine and Town Sanitation Staff as may be required, who would, of
course, be all Moslems.
The British Government has the whip hand over the Sherif, as he probably could
not exist without money or supplies ; advantage should therefore be taken now,
tactfully but firmly, of the existing situation to make a start in introducing British
influence on the lines—presumably already decided on—along which British relations
with the Sherifis Government will run in the future after the war.
As regards the howitzer batteries and other artillery which I understand is to be
supplied, the personnel for which is to be provided by Sherif Faruki from Arab
prisoners, I suggest that these guns complete should be sent to Jeddah and the
personnel trained there, instead of in Egypt, for political reasons.
C. E. WILSON,
Commandant of Troops and Governor,
Red Sea Province.
Erhowit, July 7, 1916.
This report was transmitted to the High Commissioner, with the following covering
etter from the Sirdar :—
gf r eCret ^' Governor-General Office, Erkowit, July 8, 1916.
I have the honour to transmit the copy of a report received from Colonel C. E.
Wilson on the subject of his visit to Jeddah.
The substance of Colonel Wilson s recommendations has been already telegraphed
to you, and I iiave expressed the opinion that his proposal regarding the despatch to
Jeddah of a British representative is sound, and should be acted upon without delay.
I take this opportunity to recapitulate the salient points of my recent telegrams
connected with the revolt in the Hejaz .
1 The immediate despatch of all foodstuffs required by the Sherif is imperative if
the latter is to keep his Arab levies in the field and the success of the Sherife movement
be not gravely prejudiced. _ ,1 cm -r u wi u
2 The monthly subsidies in cash and kind asked for by the Sherif should be
granted. This is all the more necessary if His_ Majesty’s Government is not in a
position to arrange for a military diversion against the Turkish forces in Syria and
elsewhere nor to offer the Sherif a suitable expeditionary force for service in Arabia.
3 The training of the “ new ” Arab army should be carried out in the territory of
the Sherif at Jeddah, and all war material that we can provide and the Arab
ex-prisoners and personnel required for the organisation of these troops should be senr
to that P° a r * auine that the offioial announcement by His Majesty’s Government regarding
the revolt is to pend its favourable development, and the issue by the Shent of his
formal proclamation to the Moslem World. A draft of the latter proclamation, which I
have seen appears to me to strike the correct note in the emphasis laid on the terri
torial independence of the Arab State and hostility to the Com oittee of Union and
Progress. The Pan-Ottoman policy of the latter is evidently approved by important
sections of Moslem opinion in India and elsewhere : and the particulars of the assistance
rendered by the British Government to the Arabs will certainly be advertised by our
enemies We should therefore, I consider, seize this opportunity openly to espouse the
Arab cause and at the same time to institute throughout our Moslem possessions an
uncompromising anti-Ottoman propaganda, based on the new conditions obtaining in
the Hejaz, and the Sheriff’s refutation of the spiritual claim of the Ottoman Sultanate.
It is needless to point out that the failure of the Sherif’s movement would be
disastrous to our prestige, and would gravely complicate our future relations with
Mohammedan peoples; such assistance, consequently as the Sherif requires from us
should be given him without stint, and despatched with the least possible delay.
& , I have, &c.
REGINALD WINGATE, General.
Governor-General of Sudan.
His Excellency the High Commissioner,
Cairo.