The note was written by Sir Frederic Arthur Hirtzel for the India Office, 30 Nov 1918, and consists of remarks on three points drawn out from the Foreign Office memorandum:The Trucial System - disputing the assumptions made in the original memo that Great Britain effectively kept the peace over a large part of the Arabian Peninsula; and that no treaties had been made with Chief's of inland tribes, that all had been coastal tribes. Stating that the object of the treaties was maritime peace; that His Majesty's Government had always been firmly against interference in the interior of Arabia; the terms of the existing treaty with Bin Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd, Ibn Saud]; and the India Office's opinion that there would be no benefit to extending the trucial system to the interior of Arabia.The Hejaz - detailing the India Office's thoughts on what a treaty with the King of Hejaz should consist of and how diplomatic relations should be handled.Syria - regarding what the alternative approach to Syria should be if the French refuse to give it up, and citing the opinions of Captain Wilson and Gertrude Bell that the French should be persuaded to give up some areas of Syria within their control for Armenia.Mention is also given to the Baghdad Railway and the importance of ensuring that it is British controlled.The appendix to the note contains further details on the British Government's agreement with Bin Saud, setting out the full history of events leading up to the signing of the agreement; later modifications to it; and the definition of the term 'foreign power' within the treaty.2 foliosThe file contains four copies of the note.Foliation: The sequence commences at the first folio and concludes on the last folio. It consists of pencil numbers, enclosed in a circle, located in the top right hand corner of the recto of each folio.Pagination: The booklet also has an original typed pagination sequence, with numbers printed at the centre of the top of each page, excepting page 1.
A War Office map, dated January 1907. The map shows the following railway lines: British; French; Anglo-Franco-German; the Baghdad Railway System; the Anatolian Railway; Turkish Railways; Egyptian 'State' Railways; and Russian Railways.The map also marks out the Ordu Territorial Districts [corresponding to the seven Army Corps of the Ottoman Empire]: Constantinople [Istanbul]; Adrianople [Edirne]; Salonica [Thessaloniki]; Erzingan [Erzincan]; Damascus; and Baghdad [Baghdād].1 mapMaterials: printed on paper.Dimensions: 225 x 335mm on a sheet 325 x 440mm.
This map shows Turkey where it is included in Asia and indicates the boundaries between Turkey, Syria, Mesopotamia and the Old Frontier. The map also indicates relief with contours.The map includes a printing statement which reads '(B 16479) WT 18378-212.5050.10/20.H&S,LTD.'1 mapMaterials: Printed in colour on paper with manuscript additions in coloured inkDimensions: 310x 733mm, on sheet 505 x 759mm
This printed report contains a despatch (No 344436/75/19) from Lieutenant-Colonel Arnold Talbot Wilson, Acting Civil Commissioner in Mesopotamia at Baghdad, to Edwin Samuel Montagu, Secretary of State for India, dated 15 November 1919, enclosing a note by Miss Gertrude Lowthian Bell, Oriental Secretary to the Civil Commissioner, entitled 'Syria in October 1919' (folios 90-98), dated 15 November 1919.1 file (10 folios)Foliation: The foliation for this report commences at folio 89, and terminates at folio 97, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between folios 7-153; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.
This file consists of a copy of the 'Syria and Mesopotamia: Anglo-French declaration of 8 November 1918'. It is written in French and expresses the wishes of Britain and France to liberate those they feel have been 'too long oppressed by the Turks' by helping them to install functional governments and 'indigenous administrations', and by contributing to their economic development.1 file (1 folio)This file consists of a single document.Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 104, and terminates at f 104, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
Admiralty handbook regarding Syria (including Palestine) 'to as far north as the River Orontes and a line Antioch-Aleppo-Meskeneh. For details of the part of Syria beyond this line reference must be made to the
Handbook of Asia Minor, Vol. iv, Part 2 (C.B. 847 C).''Contents. Chapters:I. Boundaries and Physical Survey, p 9 (folio 7)II. Climate, p 24 (folio 14v)III. Minerals, Flora and Fauna, p 93 (folio 50)IV. Military History, p 109 (folio 58)V. Inhabitants, p 175 (folio 91)VI. Turkish Administration, p 236 (folio 121v)VII. Agriculture, p 252 (folio 129v)VIII. Industry and Trade, p 276 (folio 141v)IX. Currency, Weights and Measures, p 318 (folio 162v)X. Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 325 (folio 166)XI. Country East of Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 344 (folio 175v)XII. Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, and Damascus Plain, p 357 (folio 182)XIII. River Systems of Northern Syria, p 395 (folio 201)XIV. Judea and the Southern Desert, p 427 (folio 217)XV. Samaria (including Carmel), p 472 (folio 239v)XVI. Galilee, p 515 (folio 261)XVII. Haurān and Jaulān, p 556 (folio 281v)XVIII. 'Ajlūn and Northern Belqa, p 580 (folio 293v)XIX. Southern Belqa and Ardh el-Kerak, p 612 (folio 309v)XX. El-Jibāl and Esh-Shera, p 636 (folio 321v)XXI. The Ghōr (Jordan and the Dead Sea); and Wādi 'Arabah, p 645 (folio 326)Appendix: Conventional Spellings, p 668 (folio 337v)Index, p 669 (folio 338)Plates, p 725' [missing]1 volume (365 folios)The volume contains a contents page (folio 6) and an index (folios 338-365).Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 367; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence. The volume originally contained fourteen plates showing maps, bound into the back of the volume. These are now missing; details of the plates can be found at folio 5v.
The second of two oblong duodecimo volumes containing abbreviated notes recorded by Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell, during the course of a journey through Syria, Turkey and Iraq, from Damascus to Aleppo via Baghdad. The volume covers the period 19 April to 23 May 1911, covering the journey from the vicinity of Dara, in Turkey, to Bell’s arrival in Aleppo. The notes record: places passed or visited; times of arrival and departure; temperature and atmospheric pressure readings; some description of the topographic character of the places passed through; and copies of Greek, Syriac, and Nabatean tomb inscriptions.The volume also includes:drawings depicting two anthropomorphic figures, possibly of stone carvings from a tomb at Kermati [Kayabali], above a drawing of three arches. All three drawings have dimensions indicated (ff 3v-4)Folios 25-37 are blank.1 volume (37 folios)Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with i, and terminates at the inside back cover with 38; these numbers are written in pencil, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
The first of two oblong duodecimo volumes containing abbreviated notes recorded by Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell, during the course of a journey through Syria, Turkey and Iraq, from Damascus to Aleppo via Baghdad. The volume covers the period 9 February to 18 April 1911, covering Bell’s departure from Damascus to the vicinity of Dara, Turkey. The notes record: places passed or visited; times of arrival and departure; temperature and atmospheric pressure readings; some description of the topographic character of the places passed through; and a number Arabic aphorisms and inscriptions.The volume also includes:descriptions of architecture and mosaics in Damascus, including Malik ez Zahir [Az-Zahiriyah library] (ff 1-3)a plan of an unnamed and unidentified building (f 14v)five signatures, belonging to the German archaeologists Walter Andrae, Conrad Preusser, Walter Bachmann, Paul Maresch, and Julius Jordan (f 23)two profiles, with measurements indicated, of gate mouldings at Dara (f 32)1 volume (33 folios)Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with i, and terminates at the inside back cover with 33; these numbers are written in pencil, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.The file has two foliation anomalies f 25A, and f 32A.
The file contains copies of correspondence sent between the Political Agency in Bahrain, the Political Residency, the British Legation in Damascus, and Foreign Office officials. The correspondence relates to the set-up of reciprocal air routes between British and Syrian authorities; specifically, permission requested by Syrian Airways representatives to fly from Damascus via Baghdad and Kuwait to Bahrain, and a reciprocation of routes through Syria for the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and Cyprus Airways. Telegrams, sent between the Political Resident and the Bahrain Political Agent refer to a need to obtain the Ruler of Bahrain’s (Sheikh Salmān bin Ḥamad Āl Khalīfah) permission. A telegram from the Foreign Office dated 13 June 1948 (ff 5-6), provides details of the routes into and through Syria desired by BOAC.1 file (11 folios)The file’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest item at the front to the latest at the end. The file notes at the end of the file (f 12) mirror the chronological arrangement.Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-7; these numbers are also written in pencil, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence, but they are not circled.
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.1 volume (192 folios)The volume is arranged chronologically.Foliation: The sequence starts on the first folio and continues through to the inside back cover. The numbering is written in pencil, circled, and located in the top right corner of the recto of each folio. The first three folios are marked 1A, 1B, and 1C respectively, then the sequence continues from 2 as normal. There is one other foliation system, written in pencil and inconsistent.