390f.1163 Christian and Missionary Alliance/6

The Consul at Jerusalem (Heizer) to the Secretary of State

No. 1642

Sir: I have the honor to report to the Department that Rev. George W. Breaden and Rev. William F. Smalley who are connected with The Palestine and Arabian Border Mission of the Christian and Missionary Alliance of 260 West 44th Street New York City undertook a trip into Hedjaz in November 1927 via Ma’an and Akaba for the purpose of investigating the feasibility of opening up missionary and educational work in that country. They were arrested and sent out of the country from Jeddah with a notation on their American passports to the effect that they were not permitted to enter the Hedjaz or Nejd.

Mr. Smalley is registered at this Consulate and his registration bears the Department’s serial No. 36465. Mr. Breaden’s serial number is 60171.

Mr. Breaden has been located at Beersheba, Palestine for some time and quite recently has made his headquarters at Ma’an, Transjordan. He has been quite active in exploring both the Hedjaz and Nejd by automobile and by camel. He has made several trips by automobile across the sands to El Djauf at the extreme eastern end of the fertile Wadi Sirhan. (Latitude 30 longitude 39½) The Palestine Arabian Border Mission to which he belongs has mission stations in Madaba, Kerak and Ma’an Transjordan; also at Hebron, Beit Jala and Ain-Karem, Palestine, with headquarters at Jerusalem where they have a Mission House, and Chapel called the American Church.

It appears that while they were detained in Jeddah they were given to understand that they would be tried by the Director of Foreign Affairs of Sultan Ibn Saud’s Cabinet whom they declare came from Mecca to Jeddah for this purpose. They state that he remained in [Page 65] Jeddah three days but never spoke to them. It appears that he spent his time with a certain E. StJohn Philiby who was formerly Chief British Representative at Amman, Trans Jordan, and was at one time a British Political Officer at Bagdad, and well known by the writer. Mr. Philiby has been all through Central Arabia and is a personal friend and advisor of Sultan Ibn Saud. Mr. Philiby is at the present time a business man at Jeddah and is reported to be the agent of the Ford Automobile. It seems quite probable that Mr. Philiby advised the Director of Foreign Affairs to release the two American Citizens without trial of any kind and to write a letter to the American Legation Cairo, Egypt to warn the missionaries not to enter the Hedjaz or Nejd again.

Mr. Smalley who is not a robust man came back ill with malignant malaria fever which he contracted in the Hedjaz.

There is enclosed a copy of a translation of a letter from the Director of Foreign Affairs, Government of Hedjaz and Nejd, to the American Minister at Cairo, dated December 18, 1927, enclosed in a letter from the American Legation, Cairo, Egypt, dated January 5, 1928,3 also a reply to the Legation dated January 7, 1928.4

There is also enclosed a copy of a memorandum made by Rev. G. W. Breaden4 commenting upon the letter of the Director of Foreign Affairs.

There is also enclosed a copy of a full report made by Rev. W. F. Smalley upon the trip.4

The enclosed photographs were taken by Mr. Breaden on a trip to El Djauf, Nejd last year where he states he was well received by the Beduins.

I have [etc.]

Oscar S. Heizer
  1. Supra.
  2. Not printed.
  3. Not printed.
  4. Not printed.