interest in the cargo of a small steamer said to have left an Italian port for Jeddah direct towards the end of February. My informant believes this vessel to be bringing aeroplanes and spare parts; also a minting machine with which King Hussein is said to desire to mint coins of his own from English sovereigns. The reference to a minting machine is interesting, and would appear to confirm M. Pastori's remarks reported in my report for the period the 11th to 31st December, 1921. It is perhaps not irrelevant to add that the latest “ Al Qibla” to hand publishes a proclamation reminding the public of the prohibition of the export of gold. The Nigerian pilgrim of the 1921 pilgrimage, whom I mentioned in my last report as having been conscribed for military service, remained for ten days in the Jeddah barracks, while my letter about him to the kaïmakam was ignored. Finally, I telegraphed to the King, who replied rather peevishly that "the observance of obligations and commitments offers scope for more than a persistent demand for the release of one individual British subject, whom I have taken for his own good for my army.” However, the individual in question was released, much to the relief of the Hashimite officers responsible for him, none of whom speak Hausa. The conscript speaks nothing but Hausa, and I understand that he habitually hebaved on parade deaf to the comments of his Arab officers, with the unsophisticated licence of a child of nature. Hashimite Flag. The Hashimite flag has been changed. The Ommayyad white now comes between the Abbasid black (at the top) and the Fatimite green (at the bottom). This is, I believe, as the flag is flown in Bagdad. The change is an improvement. Press (“ Al Qibla"). No. 564 reproduces an article from the “ Lisan-ul-Arab” of Jerusalem (to which King Hussein is a prolific, though anonymous, contributor), attacking the Havas Press Agency, and, through it, the French Government. The pilgrim tariff is published in this number. No. 565 opens with the following official proclamation : “Certain journals having continued to assert that the peace and welfare of the country are menaced by the Sultan of Arid (Ibn Saud) and his Wahhabism, the Government finds it expedient again to proclaim that the roads between the two Holy Cities and their neighbourhood are, by the grace of God, perfectly safe. “The Government are, nevertheless, preoccupied by the probability of further aggression on the part of the above-mentioned. For, should the Government meet him in the same manner, they would appear to be fighting their friend-Great Britain--for she is, as stated by the Colonial Secretary and as reported in this paper, supporting him with her subsidy. « The qualities of character and honour do not allow a man to be to his friend at one and the same moment both friend and foe; this has been remarked in the official announcement published in No. 544 of Al Qibla.' “If they (the Wahhabis) are not impeded or repulsed, they say, as is notorious, that all who do not unconditionally obey them are infidels. There is clear authority that whosoever calls a believer an infidel himself becomes an infidel. Enquirers are referred to p. 230 of the Khulasat-el-Kalam' of El Sayed Ahmed Dahlan. “The Government, however, have to choose the lesser of two evils, with prayers that God may support them and guide them aright.” This sort of thing is, of course, the best possible advertisement for Wahhabism, and betrays the King's real apprehensions. No. 566 also publishes a proclamation reminding the public of the prohibition of the export of gold.
