Page 95 - Arabian Studies (II)

The Towers and Mineral Concessions in the IdrisTImamate of 'A sir 85

Rushton took no further steps to obtain the Farasan concession
till initl-1925 when he requested permission from the Colonial Office
to visit Farasan. By this time the political situation had again
changed: fighting was taking place between the IdrisT and Imamic
forces near Luhaiyah as a result of which Rushton was told that
conditions were not suitable for a visit.3 5 Moreover, in return for the
concession the IdrisT was insisting upon being supplied with
ammunition with which to prosecute his war against Imam Yahya.
The Resident could only inform Rushton that no purpose would be
served in visiting the area since lie would be unable to pay for the
concession with arms due to the British declaration of neutrality.36
In November 1925 Yusuf Assim, the original concessionary,
desired to get in touch with the English group with the result that in
January 1926 Rushton announced his desire to discuss the question
of the Farasan concession with the British Government, but he was
curtly told that the situation was so uncertain that no useful purpose
could be served,3 7 although in mid-December Aden received a copy
of a letter from the Admiralty addressed to the Foreign Office which
expressed the Admiralty’s reluctance to see the Italians obtain the
Farasan concession.3 8
With the heat temporarily out of IdrTsI-Imamic relations in July
1926 Rushton again asked the Colonial Office for permission to visit
Farasan. In reply the British Government declined to offer any
advice on the steps Rushton should take. Rushton was also informed
of the IdrlsI’s agreement with another British company for the
Farasan and other concessions. Rushton, still undeterred, approached
the Colonial Office a last time on 23 August 1926 requesting that the
Colonial Office inform the IdrisT of Rushton’s prior claim to the
Farasan concession. In September the Colonial Office replied that
the British Government was unable to interfere.39
In 1922 interest was shown by other oil companies in the region.
The Eastern and General Syndicate which had already acquired a
concession from ibn Sa‘ud for £2000,4 0. came to an agreement with
the Idris! for a concession to work the salt mines all over the Sallf
Peninsula and agreed to supply the Idris! with a cartridge-making
machine and, on 21 December, the Political Resident in Aden
suggested to the Colonial Office that the Syndicate be authorized to
supply the machine in question41 as this would be a suitable
alternative to the British Government’s supplying rifles or Le Gras
ammunition to the IdrisT.4 2
The Syndicate sent a copy of their agreement with the IdrisT to
Aden for approval whereupon the Resident informed the IdrisT
Britain could not approve the immediate grant of a concession to
work the salt mines. The Syndicate was likewise told that as the