IOR/R/15/1/572

The volume consists of letters, telegrams, and reports relating to the affairs of Saudi Arabia. Most of the correspondence is between the British Legation in Jeddah, the Political Residency in Bushire, the Foreign Office in London, the Political Agencies in Kuwait and Bahrain, the India Office in London, and the Government of India.

The volume covers the build up to and outbreak of the Second World War and thus much of the correspondence focuses on this subject. Topics include:

• the activities of the Germans, Italians, and Japanese in the region;
• Ibn Sa'ud's allegiance to Britain and the Allies;
• Ibn Sa'ud's anxiety about Hashemite dominance in Syria and potential attack from hostile Arab nations;
• anti-Allied sentiment in the region;
• the financial and political contribution of the United States of America.

Other subjects covered by the volume are:

• the maintenance of law and order in the Kingdom;
• the presence of community feeling and national identity;
• Captain De Gaury's journeys in Saudi Arabia, including a report on agricultural development at Kharj, and the objection to his proposed tour of all of Arabia;
• Amir Sa'ud's trip to India for medical treatment;
• the anti-British activities of St John Philby and his subsequent arrest in India.

At the back of the volume (folios 177-186) are internal office notes.