مجموعة ٢١/٦(١) "الحجاز-نجد: العلاقات مع الحكومة البريطانية: مفوضية الحجاز في لندن والوزير البريطاني في جدة". [و‎‎٣‎٤‎٥] (٩١٤/٧٠٠)

/THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS-
BRIT
Majesty’s government.
I
EASTERN (Arabia),
CONFIDENTIAL.
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[E 2695/334/91]
A1 9 2
^
May 26, 1930.
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' \ O .0 i.; .
: *'■" Section 2.
No. 1.
Sir A. Ryan to Mr. A . Henderson.—(Received May 26.)
(No. 109.) y '
Sir, Jedda JMay 9 1930
TV ITH reference to my telegram No. 53 of the 6th instant, I have the honour to
state that I left London for J edda on the 22nd April and arrived here on the
6tli May via Marseilles and Port Sudan. At the latter place I was very hospitably
entertained by the commissioner, Major D. S. B. Thomson, and had the advantage of
discussing with him many matters of Red Sea interest.
2- The arrangements for transporting me from Port Sudan to Jedda in
H.M.S. ‘'Dahlia” were carried out most admirably by Commander R. A.
Jackson, R.N. I should be grateful if a suitable expression of thanks could be
conveyed to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, provided you see no
objection.
3. The Hejaz authorities went out of their way to show attention to me on my
arrival. The Governor of Jedda sent the officer commanding the garrison to
welcome me on board the “ Dahlia,” and himself came down to the landing-stage to
receive me. In addition to his own greetings, he brought me complimentary
messages from the King of the Hejaz, Nejd and its dependencies, including an
expression of regret that His Majesty had had to leave Jedda (where he had been
spending a couple of days), and would be unable to receive me until after the
pilgrimage. After responding suitably to these courtesies, I drove to the Legation
in a car provided by the Governor.
4. In the evening the King caused further messages to be telephoned to me, and
again confirmed them next morning. In addition to replying in the same manner, I
asked the Governor, when calling on him on the morning of the 7th May, to convey
my warmest thanks to the King, as he, the Governor, was about to go to Mecca for
the pilgrimage. At this visit, the Governor, after a cordial exchange of compli
ments, discoursed to me at some length on the improvements made by Ibn Saud in the
arrangements for the pilgrimage, his desire to improve them still further, and his
anxiety to collaborate wuth His Majesty’s Government in doing^ as much as
possible to ensure the well-being of pilgrims, especially from the sanitary point of
view. I assured the Governor that His Majesty’s Government appreciated what had
been done, and w r ould be most ready to harmonise their efforts in the same direction
on behalf of British pilgrims with those of the King of the Hejaz.
5. I am happy to think that everything connected with my arrival went m
such a way as to create a good local impression and to emphasise the importance of
the decision of His Majesty’s Government to appoint a Minister here. By a
fortunate coincidence, my arrival took place on Accession Day. The firing of a
further salute and the dressing of ships, including a large number of pilgrim ships
in honour of that anniversary, gave additional dignity to the visit ot
6 On the 7th May, I wrote to the Emir Feisal as Acting Minister for Foreign
Affairs to ask formally for an audience to present my credentials. Although I have
had no 5 reply as yet, I have reason to think that the audience wall be fixed for an
early day after the 12th May. Sheikh Fuad Hamza returned to Jedda from his
honeymoon yesterday morning, but has not yet notified his resumption of his duties
as Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs. ^ haye &c
A. RYAN.
f 112 cc—2' f