WAR IN ARABIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 May 1934, Page 5

WAR IN ARABIA

COUNTER ATTACK REPORTED [BY CABLE—PEESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT..] (Rec. May 11, 1 p.m.) ADEN, May 10. Reports from Sanaa announce that the Imam is leading an army of 200,000 Yemenis, to attack the former capital, Riyahd. SAVED BY BRITISH CALCUTTA, May 10. A dramatic story of how a small British naval force protected Indian traders at Hodeida, a Red Sea fort in Yemen, at present held by the Arab King Ibn Saud’s forces, has reached India. When the Saudi Arabs advanced to Hodeida on April 29, the Yemeni Government officials there fled, and

thousands of fierce nomadic tribesmen gathered in the outskirts of the town. They were gravely threatening the safety of a wealthy Indian community of 300 men, women and children, who cabled to Aden and Jedda, asking for British protection. AVitliin 24 hours, the sloop “Penzance,” which was patrolling the Red Sea, watching for arms smugglers and slave traders, arrived at the town. She landed a jiarty of sailors. Similarly three Royal Air Force planes from Aden reconnoitred over Hodeida. The sailors found the shops of the place closed, and the streets deserted, but the town ■officials were emboldened and overjoyed by the presence of the navy, and they harangued the waiting tribesmen and warned them of the penalty of attacking the town, thereupon the tribesmen retired for some distance. Confidence was restored, while those who had fled to Kameran Island returned. The Saudi leaders guaranteed the safety of British subjects. They expressed appreciation of the action of the “Penzance” which has been relieved by the “Enterprise.”

A FAMILY QUARREL. A few weeks ago (says the London “Times” in a recent article) it was believed that the long-standing territorial dispute between the Imam Yahia of Yemen and his redoubtable neighbour, the King of the Hejaz and Nejd, bad been settled by diplomatic means. The two Governments had agreed after seven months of negotiation to hold a peace conference and delimit their common frontier. But the Wahabi King was too trustful. In order to minimise the danger of a col-

lision he withdrew his troops from the frontier in the Tehama region, which both rulers claimed. But just as the Imam had allowed or encouraged his troops to extend their encroachments into the hinterland of Aden during bis earlier conversations with the British authorities, so now lie permitted thorn to occupy districts which the Arab King’s frontier guards had evacuated, and to declare a protectorate over them. No doubt he counted on increasing his barbaining power in the impending negotiatons by enlarging rhe area occupied i y his men and mistook his neighb.mr’s patience for weakness. But King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud proved less long-suffering than the British had been at Aden. He ro"arded the Imam’s action as a piece of harp practice and ordered his son and heir. Prince Garni, Viceroy of Nejd, to lead his troops against the invaders. Such is lhe story communicated to the Press by the representative of Saudi Arabia in this country. Those who are acquainted with the recent history of Yemen and with the Imam’s methods will bo disposed Io accept this account of the cause of the war. formal or informal, which has broken out in Southern Arabia. They will be less disposed to indulge in prophecy as

1 to the result of the first engagements. I The Wahabis have easily defeated | every enemy whom they have met I within the borders of Arabia, from Hussein to the Beduin rebels whom they literally destroyed in July, 1932. But, the Yemen troops, whom they are encountering for the first time, are bold and active opponents, as the I Turks found to their cost, in 1904 and later. The Imam has amassed a large treasure in his long reign and can thus afford to pay his men, who are well I armed and are said to have been trained by Turkish instructors. But it is doubtful whether his subjects, of whom he holds 4000 as hostages for the loyally of their families, will support him through the hazards of what may be a long war. Meanwhile no international writ runs in Arabia andj there can be no opportunity for inter-| ven lion, except, in a friendly way, in what, is really an Arabian family quarrel.