IOR/R/15/1/558

The volume consists of letters, telegrams, memoranda, reports, and notes relating to Ibn Sa'ud and the affairs of Najd. The correspondence is mostly between: Harold Dickson, the Political Agent in Bahrain; Percy Cox, the High Commissioner in Baghdad; Ibn Sa'ud; King Hussein of the Hijaz; the Government of India, in Simla and Calcutta; the India Office, in London; the Foreign Office, in London; Arthur Trevor, the Political Resident in Bushire; and Siddiq Hassan, the Indian assistant in Bahrain.

Most of the volume relates to the territorial and political disputes between Ibn Sa'ud and King Hussein, with particular coverage of the mission to Mecca to conclude an agreement between Ibn Sa'ud and King Hussein, carried out by Ahmad bin Abdullah al-Thanaiyan, and Siddiq Hassan and Farhan al Rahmah, the Sa'udi and British representatives respectively.

Notable is the diary of Siddiq Hassan (ff 88-101v) written during his mission to Mecca, and his notes on the numerous meetings he had with King Hussein and the talks between the latter and Thanaiyan. Included as appendices to these notes are the following: a draft, in Arabic, of the eventual agreement signed by the two parties; a letter, in Arabic, from Hassan bin 'Ali ibn 'Aayidh, Chief of 'Assir, to King Hussein; another letter in Arabic from King Hussein to Siddiq Hassan; and an English translation of the finalised agreement. Also present is a report of the journey by Farhan al-Rahmah (ff 101v-106v).

Other topics covered by the volume are as follows:

• the continued fighting and negotiations between Ibn Sa'ud and the Ikhwan on the one side and the al-Rashid (Shammar) on the other;
• the ongoing border dispute between Ibn Sa'ud and Kuwait;
• developments in 'Asir and the 'Idrisi movement;
• Ibn Sa'ud's British subsidy;
• revolt in Iraq and Syria, and the spread of Arab Nationalism;
• relations between Ibn Sa'ud and other tribal groups, and his growing influence in the region.