Page 106 - Arabian Studies (II)

96 Arabian Studies II

the Italian Ambassador, to the effect that Britain had heard of
‘alleged Italian intrigues directed to the cancellation of British
concessions in Farasan’. The Idris! was threatening to revoke the
British Company’s concession and the Company had therefore
appealed to the British Government to intervene with ibn Sa'ud. The
Foreign Office was reluctant, the Ambassador was told, to pursue
such a course as Britain had undertaken at the Rome talks not to
‘exert undue political influence on behalf of commercial interests’.
Such a measure would also be equivalent to British recognition of the
Sa‘udi-Idrlsl treaty. But the Ambassador was warned if difficulties
continued between the Idris! and the British Company and if the
intervention of the Resident in Aden was fruitless ‘we may be forced
to intervene with ibn Sa‘udV 09
At the end of September the Foreign Office, in a letter to the
Company, put the responsibility on the IdrlsI’s tribesmen, whom he
could not control. If, however, the Company’s concessions were
recognised by ibn Sa‘ud its position would be stronger. The Resident
was to be instructed to tell the IdrlsI that in the British Govern­
ment’s opinion his demands on the Company were unjustified. The
British Consul in Jeddah would be instructed to inform ibn Sa‘ud
that the Company accepted his offer to negotiate, but that they
wished to point out that they had fulfilled all their engagements and
that the IdrlsI’s allegations were unfounded; even Sayyid Mustafa in
Egypt denied any verbal agreement. Aden was then instructed to
support the Company’s contentions. 1 i o On 14 September 1927 the
Company agreed to make concessions in the form of an advance of
money against the sums ultimately due under the agreement. They
wanted to use Sayyid Mustafa as a go-between, but were advised
against this course as the Sayyid was unwelcome in ‘Aslr.
The Foreign and Colonial Offices agreed to forward the
Company’s answer to the IdrlsI via the Resident in Aden who
himself was instructed to urge the IdrlsI to observe the terms of his
agreement and additionally to explain to ibn Sa‘ud the Company’s
position in the hope that this would prevent a breach. i i i
On 16th September ibn Sa‘ud’s adviser on Yemen and ‘Aslr visited
the British Consul in Jeddah and suggested that when Sayyid Musfafa
; had acted as intermediary between the Company and the IdrlsI he
had made promises that the Company would supply the tribes with
arms. Although this committment was unauthorised, the tribes still
felt that it ought to be kept. He acknowledged that Italian agents
were at the root of the trouble — an Italian company having offered
£50,000 for the concession.
Negotiations began in Jlzan with Wolfson representing the
Company, and Ba Suhay and Shinqltl the IdrlsI. Ibn Sa‘ud’s