Ratifications of the Treaty between Great Britain and the King
of the Hejaz and Nejd have at last been exchanged. Great Britain recognizes the independence of the Wahabi dominions, and each Government pledges itself to prevent its territory from being used as a base for aggression against the other. The King of Nejd promises to protect British Moslems on their pilgrimage to the holy cities and to live in peace with those Arab chiefs on the Persian Gulf who have treaties with 'Great Britain. Several notes are added to the Treaty. In one of these Great Britain declares that though she cannot renounce at present the right of manumitting slaves she regards this right as not in any way infringing the King of Nejd's sovereignty. The right will lapse when Great Britain is convinced that the Wahabi Government is loyally co-operating in the suppression of the slave trade. The embargo on war material is removed. This is hardly a move in the right direction, but a continuance of the embargo would not be reconcilable with Arab sovereignty. The Treaty is to last for seven years. Thus Great Britain has confirmed the " accomplished fact " in the Arab struggles and perhaps she could not have done otherwise.
Previous page
