Abstract: This volume largely consists of copies of Foreign Office correspondence (forwarded by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the Under-Secretary of State for India) regarding reported raids on the frontier between Transjordan and the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia). Most of this correspondence consists of copies of letters and telegrams between the Foreign Office and the British Minister at Jedda, Sir Andrew Ryan, as well as translated copies of correspondence between Ryan and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia). The volume also contains India Office correspondence with the Foreign Office and Air Ministry.The correspondence is chiefly concerned with reported raids carried out on the Transjordan frontier by tribes from Nejd and Transjordan. Much of the Foreign Office correspondence discusses the efforts of the British to arrange a meeting between Captain John Bagot Glubb (recently appointed as British Intelligence Officer attached to the Transjordan Bedouin Control Board) and his counterpart, Abdul Aziz Ibn Zeid [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin Zeid], in order to resolve respective claims regarding raids from August 1930 to February 1931, and to make arrangements for the future intercommunication of information.Also discussed are the following:An alleged crossing into Hejazi-Nejdi territory by British aircraft and cars from Transjordan.A proposed extradition treaty between Transjordan and the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd.Reports of meetings between Glubb and Abdul Aziz Ibn Zeid.The question of nationality in relation to certain tribes on the Transjordan and Hejaz-Nejd frontier (namely the Beni Atiya [Banū ʿAṭiyya] and the Atun, which Ryan describes as being a section of the Howeitat [Banū al- Ḥuwayṭāt]).In addition to correspondence the volume contains copies of minutes from meetings in early 1931 of the Committee of Imperial Defence's Standing Official Sub-Committee for questions concerning the Middle East, which discuss possible measures (such as the withdrawal of the British Minister at Jedda) that the British could take in the event of Ibn Saud returning 'an unsatisfactory answer' to British demands relating to the situation on the Transjordan and Hejaz-Nejd frontier. Also included are copies of memoranda from Glubb, one of which responds to complaints made against him by the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the Hejaz and Nejd.Other correspondents besides those already mentioned include the Secretary of State for Colonies, the Colonial Office, the High Commissioner for Transjordan (Sir John Robert Chancellor, succeeded by Arthur Grenfell Wauchope), the British Resident at Transjordan (Charles Henry Fortnom Cox), and His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires at Jedda (Cecil Gervase Hope Gill).The volume includes three dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 780; 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.
Abstract: The file concerns British Government (HMG) policy on relations with the Shaikh of Koweit [Aḥmad al-Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ, Ruler of Kuwait].The file contains correspondence, minutes and memoranda produced by senior officials at the Foreign Office and the India Office; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Trenchard Craven William Fowle); the British Minister at Jedda [Jeddah] (Sir Andrew Ryan); and other British officials.The papers cover: India Office summary of events in Kuwait, 1908-28 (folios 345-351); minutes and discussion of a meeting held at the Foreign Office on 5 October 1934 to discuss relations between the British Government and the Shaikh of Kuwait (final record of meeting, folios 209-218); the question of whether the British should declare a protectorate over Kuwait; relations between the Sheikh of Kuwait and Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd]; the question of the blockade of Kuwait by Saudi Arabia; Kuwait oil (including India Office paper concerning the Shaikh's entering into negotiations over an oil concession without first consulting the British Government, folios 153-158); discussion of British control over Kuwait's foreign relations (e.g. letters from the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, folios 132-136, and the British Minister at Jeddah, folios 116-119, and minutes of a meeting at the Foreign Office on 2 September 1936, folios 104-108); Eastern Department, Foreign Office paper on future policy in regard to Kuwait (folios 78-84); minutes of informal departmental meeting held at the Foreign Office on 18 May 1937, including discussion of the Shaikh of Kuwait's date gardens, and the possible use of Kuwait as a naval base (folios 42-52); discussion of a newspaper article highlighting the strategic importance of Kuwait (folios 29-31); and a letter from the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to the India Office, dated 16 August 1937, including discussion of the need to keep Kuwait independent of both Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and the possible use of Kuwait as an air base (folios 14-23).The file includes some papers of an earlier date than the main correspondence date range: India Office paper on Kuwait dated 1928 (folios 345-351), and copy of lease dated 1907 (folios 328-344).The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file 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 last folio with 352; 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: The papers concern the attitudes of Shaikh Mubarak [Mubārak bin Jābir Āl Ṣabāḥ] of Koweit [Kuwait] and rulers of other Persian Gulf coast states toward the political activities of Bin Saood (also referred to as Ibn Saood) [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd, (Ibn Sa‘ūd)] in Nejd [Najd].The principal correspondents are the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Major Percy Zachariah Cox); the Political Agent, Kuwait (Major Stuart George Knox); HBM's Consul, Basrah (also referred to as Bussorah) [Basra] (Francis Edward Crow); the British Ambassador at Constantinople (Sir Nicholas Roderick O'Conor); and senior officials of the Government of India, the Foreign Office, and the India Office.The papers cover: papers concerning a proposed visit by Ibn Sa‘ūd to the Pirate Coast [Trucial Coast] and Oman, including discussion of whether, in the event of his gaining ascendancy in the region, an approach should be made to him through the Shaikh of Kuwait or the Sultan of Muscat to safeguard the rights of British subjects residing in his territories and to ensure that there was no interference with Arab tribes in alliance with the British Government, October 1905 - February 1906 (including copies of treaties with chiefs of the Pirate Coast, 1862-92, folios 159-162) (folios 144-170); the decision of the Government of India, with Foreign Office approval, to authorise the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to issue a warning to the chiefs of the Trucial Coast not to engage in 'intrigues' with Ibn Sa‘ūd, so as to avoid unrest that would be damaging to British commercial interests in the area, March-April 1906 (folios 121-143); papers concerning Ibn Sa‘ūd's relations with the Turkish [Ottoman] and British Governments, August-October 1906 (folios 108-120); papers concerning a possible Arab confederacy, November 1906 (folios 103-107); reports of fighting between Turkish troops and Arab tribesmen in Hassa [Al Hasa], overtures by Ibn Sa‘ūd to the British, and correspondence concerning the passage of Turkish troops through Kuwait, December 1906- April 1907 (including enclosures dated 1904) (folios 41-102); papers concerning Najd affairs, and the decision of the Government of India, with the agreement of the India Office and the Foreign Office, that it was inadvisable to issue further warnings to Shaikh Mubarak not to interfere in Najd, as this might tend to weaken British influence over him, January-July 1907 (folios 11-40); and a memorandum concerning British relations with the Wahabees [Wahhabis], January 1908 (folios 4-10).The date range gives the main covering dates of all the documents; however, the papers also include copies of treaties dated 1862-92 (folios 159-162). The date range of the Secret Department minute papers given on the subject divider on folio 1 is 1906-07.Physical description: 170 folios
Abstract: This volume contains papers relating to Arabia. Part 1 concerns the general question of subsidies paid to Arab Rulers, and Part 2 concerns the policy of the British Government towards Bin Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd, popularly known as Ibn Saud].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.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 284; 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 leading and ending flyleaves.