'File 379/1906 Railways: Aden; railway construction in Aden hinterland; Aden-Lahej Railway' [‎73v] (151/308)

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bringing of the railway terminus into Tawahi, but this I do not recommend
because of the expense of reclaiming fresh land, and the buying up of already
existing reclaimed land between Jawahi and Hedjuif, but, granted that this
may be overlooked, a large quantity of cooly labour must be brought into
Tawahi where it has no room to ex[)and, thus endangering the health of our
Port and of Steamer Point, the healthiest part of Aden.
21. I know many consider that the lighterage which is in the bands of
some two or three firms would be done away with if the railway were carried
to Tawahi, but I would point out that by my proposition I have done away
with some two miles of lighterage, and I can see no reason why, if the lighter
age is the remunerative business which some think, it should not pass into the
hands of the Port Trust.
No. 1543, dated Bombay Castle, the 24th February 1906.
* Letters from the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. , Aden, No.
7093, dated the 19th November 1905, with aicompani-
ments, and No. 7510, dated the 10th December 1905,
with aceompaniments.
Memorandum from the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. , Aden,
No. 864, dated the 11th February 1906, with
accompaniments.
From—The Hon’ble Sir Steyning W. Edgerley, K.C.V.O,, C.I.E,, Chief Secretary
to the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , Political Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
I have the honour to refer to Mr. Eraser’s letter No. 2609-E.B., dated
the 8th July 1905, in which the Government of India expressed their willing
ness to consider favourably proposals for the coustruction by private enterprise
of a railway from Aden into the interior and in paragraphs 4 and 5 of which
the conditions thought necessary by the Government of India were stated. In
your No. 4417-E B., dated the 4th December 1905, were communicated the
instructions of the Secretary of State that the views of the Government of
India on the whole subject sho dd be laid before him before any steps are taken
in connection with offers which may be received.
2. I am, therefore, now to submit copies * of the Resident’s further reports
which give a sufficient account of the
present proposals of the Resident in the
matter. I am to attach a copy of the
conditions si^ggested by the Resident to
which the Sultan of Lahej has agreed and
a memorandum of comments thereon
subject to which it would seem unnecessary to object to the construction of a
local line in the territories of the Sultan of Lahej between Dar-el-Amir and
Nobat Dakim.
3. So far as the power of the Sultan to grant a concession is concerned, a
doubt as to which is suggested by His Majesty’s Secretary of State, he cannot
of course grant a concession which is likely to be attractive to promoters wiihout
the concurrence of British authorities, as he cannot give a right of entry into
. .._. , „, VT p . OQ Aden and access to the seaboard, but
Article 9 of the Agreement t of 1849 does
not enable the Resident actually to interfere with the Sultan’s autonomy in
his own territories save by friendly advice. The history of his action in this
matter, the terms of the notification recommended, and the present reports of
the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. show that procedure by way of advice and negotiation is
not free from difficulty.
4. The three main points for consideration if the line is to be made are :—
(1) whether permission shall be given for the line to enter Aden ;
(2) whether any extension of the line beyond Nobat Dakim is to be
permitted in the direction of Mavia.
(3) whetter any extension of the line beyond Nobat Dakim is to be
permitted in the direction of D’thala or Jebel-Jehaj.
On the first of these points there appears to be no reason to refuse permis
sion if the Government of India are prepared to allow the somewhat unusual
terms which the Sultan desires. Eor a purely local line in the Sultan’s
territories Government is not particularly interested in the terms demanded,
but if the line is to enter a British port it is perhaps desirable that the grant
of the permission to do so should be used to secure such modification of the