File 600/1905 Pt 5 'Aden Hinterland: Treaty with Sultan of Balahaf' [‎123v] (30/152)

required him to do so. To this he replied that the previous officers had not
given him an opportunity for a fair hearing, and he thought it would have been
useless for him to come in, as he leaved that justice would not be done to him.
Sultan Mohsin was inclined to go into a long history on this point, but the
Resident stopped him and reminded him that his brother had been confined
all this time owing to his refractory behaviour.
Submission,
Mohsin still went on dwelling on the unfairness shown towards him. The
Resident again interrupted him and explained to him that as a preliminary to
all negotiations as to his personal rights and liberties he should tender his
unconditional submission to Government. Mohain immediately responded by
unbelting his sword and handing it to the Resident, who, pleased at this
spontaneous act of submisson, returned the sword to Mohsin.
Mohsin’s own views.
The Resident then permitted Mohsin to proceed with his history. Mohsin
alluded to the incident of the dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. . He stated that on heaving that a
buggalow Large trading vessel. had been wrecked off Balahaf he proceeded to the port to render the
necessary assistance. He arrived at Balahaf and made all arrangements for the
safety and comfort of the crew. Thereafter, finding that the men had specie
with them, he made enquiries as to its ownership and learnt that it did not
belong to any one on board the dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. , but that some belonged to merchants
in Aden and some to persons in Mokalla. Mobsin then took charge of the
specie with a view to its eventual delivery to the proper owners, and advised the
crew to wait, as it would he difficult and unsafe to go by sea owing to the
monsoon. The men, however, did not wait, but reported against him both
at Mokalla and Aden. Meanwhile, as there was no safe place to keep the large
sum of money at Balahaf, he took the specie with him to Azzan. Some time
after, in reference to this matter, he received a letter at Azzan asking him to
meet the Resident at Balahaf. Though he could not travel at the same rate
as the runner who brought the letter, he proceeded as fast as he could with the
money, but only to hear, when he was some distance off Balahaf, the bombard
ment of the port. He learnt also that his brother Ahmed bin Saleh had gone
on board the steamer, offered to remain as a hostage till he (Mobsin) had
brought the money, and besought the officers to wait and not demolish the
fort. Ahmed bin Saleh was told that orders had already been received from
Government, and the demolition of the fort was proceeded with in spite of the
entreaties of Ahmed bin Saleh, who protested that the great Government would
under no circumstances act so hastily. Bearing all this Mohsin was afraid and
returned to Azzan with the money. Shortly after this, in reply to a letter
from him enquiring as to the reason why the authorities had acted in this
manner, he received a letter stating that the fort of Balahaf had been destroyed
as a punishment for the act of piracy committed on the sambook from which a
large sum of money had been looted, and announcing that the port of Balahaf
would be closed and his brother Ahmed bin Saleh would be detained pending
restitution of the plundered property. The specie was returned in due coarse
through his own men, who brought back news, however, that Ahmed bin Saleh
would not be released till he had personally come into Aden and submitted.
The Sultanate.
At this stage of the interview the Resident asked Mohsin why he declines
to submit to Saleh bin Abdulla, and on what conditions he would be prepared
to accord such submission. Mohsin scorned the very idea. He stated that
Saleh bin Abdulla was a mere nonentity and was absolutely useless in the
administration of the country ; that his only business was to come to Aden
from time to time and to receive his stipend and such other presents as the
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