Page 92 - Arabian Studies (II)

82 Arabian Studies II

could be provided. Allenby then asked if the Idrfsl was prepared to
pay for the services of such an expert. The IdrisT was duly
approached on the matter of payment to which he replied by asking
the probable cost. But before the matter could be taken further
Cairo inexplicably instructed Aden to defer action on the
question.22 The Peace Treaty with Turkey was signed on the 10th
August 1920, but was never ratified. Article 313 provided that a
state acquiring territory in the former Turkish Empire should
succeed to the duties and charges of Turkey towards the con­
cessionaries. But in view of the IdrTsT’s refusal to recognize the
Turkish agreements Rushton’s company had been wound up in
December 1919.
In July 1920 the Resident got in touch with Cairo suggesting that
it might be possible to put the Idris! in touch with agents of
Rushton’s company, especially as the Resident had heard of a
proposal for the transfer of the rights of the Farsan Islands Oil Co.,
to Messrs Cory Bros., of Cardiff. In correspondence with London the
Resident referred to Professor Wade’s survey of the Farasan Islands
on behalf of Rushton ‘so that presumably it (the Farsan Islands Oil
Co.) is in possession of inside knowledge of prospects of oil turning
out to be a paying proposition’. The local agent of Cory Bros.,
mentioned that his firm was negotiating with Rushton in connection
with the takeover of his concession. The Resident saw no reason why
a new concession should not be negotiated through the Residency
and proposed to sound out the Idris!.2 3
While the Resident was putting forward these suggestions to the
Foreign Office, Cory Bros., had not been idle and on 15 August
offered the IdrisT 3 per cent royalty for ‘the whole area’ of the
Farasan Islands although the mines were situated on the south-west
end of the main island.24 On 31 August the Resident advised Sayyid
Muhammad to await further offers. The IdrisT agreed and sixteen
days later announced that he would be pleased to consider an
application for the Farasan concession from the original Farsan
Islands Oil Co., provided it did ‘not base its claim on concessions
formerly obtained from the Turkish Government’. Sayyid
Muhammad also made it known that he planned to advertise in the
Egyptian press. 2 5
On 16 September the Resident informed Cory Bros., that the
IdrisT was considering their application.2 6 A new competitor then
appeared on the scene: Commander Craufurd and Major Holmes,
i acting on behalf of the Eastern and General Syndicate, arrived in
Aden on their way to see the IdrlsI. Craufurd had had experience of
the region as, during the War, he had been commander of H.M.S.