Abstract: The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, and notes, relating to Italian claims and policy in the Arabian Peninsula in the context of British policy in the Arabian Peninsula particularly in relation to the Hejaz, Asir and the Yemen.The discussion in the volume relates to the visit of Italian officials, soldiers and naval ships to Jeddah, Hejaz. Further discussion surrounds debate over the Italian relationship with the Idrīsī Imām of ʻAsīr and whether the Imām was engaged in intrigues with the Italians. Also discussed is the Italian proposal to recruit Arabs from ʻAsīr into the Italian colonial forces for duty in Italian Somaliland.Documents in the volume include:'Agreement with the Idrisi Saiyid regarding the Farasan Islands and Other Matters' (ff 10-13).'British Interests in Arabia' (ff 88-89).The principal correspondents in the volume include the Under Secretary of State for India; the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; the Political Resident, Aden; the Secretary of State for India (Austen Chamberlain); and the Grand Sharif of Mecca (Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī).The volume includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, the year the subject file was opened, subject headings, and a list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 178; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: This file contains papers that pertain to various military and intelligence fields of operation during 1916, specifically relating to the First World War in the region of Hejaz and the broader Arabian peninsula. The bulk of the file is comprised of reports on various military, intelligence, and propaganda issues variously called 'the Arab report' or 'Arabian Report'. The file also contains reports on the massacre and forced migration of Armenians during the War, as well as intelligence gathering efforts by British officials on Indian Muslim political mobilisation in support of an independent Arab Kingdom in the Hejaz or the Ottoman Empire, often described as 'Pan-Islamist' in the file.Most of the correspondence relating to Pan-Islamist political mobilisation is conducted through the transmission and translation of newspaper articles in Iraqi, Egyptian, Indian, Syrian, and other Arab publications.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 473; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the ending flyleaves.
Abstract: The volume contains correspondence, memoranda, and other papers relating to British policy in the Arabian Peninsula. The papers deal with relations between the countries and territories in the region, including Nejd [Najd], the Hejaz, Transjordan [Jordan], Kuwait, Iraq, Yemen, and the Idrisi state. Matters covered include border delineation, conferences, treaties and agreements, and inter-tribal conflict usually involving the Ikhwan.Each part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.The correspondence is mostly interdepartmental in nature and comes from officials at the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, India Office, and War Office. Further correspondence, usually included as enclosures, comes from British political and diplomatic offices in the region, some of the Arab leaders, and representatives of the United States and other European Governments.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 318; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: Political Department Reports regarding Pelly's concerns over the conduct of Assistant Surgeon Dr William Henry Colvill.Colvill is accused of having assumed unauthorised responsibility for Pelly's duties during his absence in England and for giving secret and personal information to the Royal Geographical Society regarding Pelly's trip to Riyadh.Physical description: FoliationThe contents of this file have been foliated in the front top right corner of each folio with a pencil number enclosed in a circle.
Abstract: The fair copy of the diary is not complete and only covers the entries for 18-21st, 24th and 26th-27th February.The entries for each day give the distances travelled, how long each stage took, longitude & latitude co-ordinates for their destination each day, comments on the availability of water, descriptions of the landscapes, observations on people and tribes encountered on route and some rough estimations of the number of pilgrims that travel there from Busreh [Basra], Kowait [Kuwait], Lahsa and DamascusSee F126/57 for the complete journal containing more detailed descriptions for each day's entry.Physical description: Foliation: The file has been foliated in the top right fron corner of each folio with a number in pencil enclosed in a circle
Abstract: Correspondence regarding accusations that Dr Colvill assumed Pelly's duties and pursued lines of policy without Pelly's permission to do so, and corresponded with government under these assumptions without producing proof of his right to do so.The letter gives details of Pelly's previous experiences of permitting Dr Colvill to undertake Pelly's duties during periods of absence, highlighting the problems caused during these absences and his reasons for naming his uncovenanted assistant alongside Dr Colvill during his most recent absence in an attempt to mitigate potential problems.A true copy of Pelly's letter to Colvill regarding his name having been put forward to act for him during his absence is also enclosed with the letter.Physical description: 5 folios
Abstract: Journal of the journey which the British Government requested that Lewis Pelly take overland through Persia and Afghanistan in returning to India in order to ascertain the situation throughout the country, to visit the rulers of key places such as Herat and Cabul [Kabul] with a view to the re-establishment of British relations with them, to attempt to gain a sense of how the British might now be received there and to attempt to ascertain details of the Persian expedition to Mero [Marv].The journal covers the period 10 September to 16 November 1860 and documents the geography and landscapes of the regions travelled through, with where known the names of hills and plateaus, the locations of water sources and the distances between each place visited and the overall distances travelled each day.For each village, town or caravanserai visited Pelly recorded its size, any known history, information on the local ruler and his allegiances, observations on trade and agriculture, with particular interest paid to gardens and orchards, and the hospitality they offered to him at each stage of his journey.The journal also records the people who travelled with him, the equipment and provisions they took with them and the gifts and letters they had been requested to take and present to various local rulers.Information of particular interest within the journal includes details of the situation in Candahar [Kandahar] and Cabul (folio 4), his conversations with the Khan of Khaff [Khaf] about England (folio 15), his visit to Herat and discussions with the ministers and ruler there (folios 19-20), information on the Turcoman's victory over the Persians at Mero including Pelly's intentions of aiding the Prince Hurnza Mirza [Hamzeh Mirza "Heshmat ed-Dowleh"] and desire to rescue a French photographer who had been travelling with the Persian forces (folios 20-21), the Sirdar of Sebpur's plans to seize power in Candahar (folios 25-26), a meeting with some Russians travelling in the area, and the civil war in Seistan [Sistan] (folio 26), information on the official reports that Pelly submitted to Government during his journey (folios 32 and 43) and an ink sketch by Pelly of a post house similar to the ones he stayed in during his journey (folio 45).The cover label for the journal states: 'Journals (including Afghan mission 1860)' and is numbered 3, implying that this was originally the third series in Lewis Pelly's papers when they were donated to the Foreign Office in 1925 and that all of his journals were originally contained within the leather bound cover. The Pelly collection was reorganised at some point after it was donated to the Foreign Office in 1925 and the other journals removed and placed elsewhere with only the Afghanistan journal being kept within the original journals cover.Physical description: Foliation: The journal has been foliated in the front top right hand corner of each folio with a pencil number enclosed in a circle. There is also a series of original foliation in blue ink in the front top left hand corner of each folio covering folios 2-30 of the journal.Condition: Folios 13 and 24v have crossings out, corrections and pen marks in blue ink which appear to be in the same pen as the original foliation but are not consistent with the creation of the journal and appear to have been done at a later time.Binding: The journal is bound in goat skin leather. The first 30 folios of the journal had come apart from the binding and were tied together with black and white thread which was removed for conservation purposes and can now be found at the back of the journal (folio 44).