'File 379/1906 Railways: Aden; railway construction in Aden hinterland; Aden-Lahej Railway' [111v] (227/308)
The record is made up of 1 volume (150 folios). It was created in 20 Aug 1904-3 Apr 1922. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
6
duty : the only imposts being Turkish and Haushabi in addition to the
Abdali.
33. Finally, I have the honour to recommend that the guage of the proposed
railway shall be either one metre or else the same guage as the Hedjaz railway
1-05 metres. The Abdali Sultan would be, I think, prepared to agree to either.
And, on the whole, I am strongly of opinion that a metre guage would ^ be best. j
It would answer all requirements both military and civil and in this respect
have a distinct advantage over a smaller guage. On the other hand, a broader
gauge is not necessary and would be too expensive. It might be desirable to
publish this with the notification and I would suggest accordingly that a metre
gauge should be at once decided upon.
34 . I venture to hope that the net result of these preliminary negotiations
may be approved of. Ihe draft conditions cover more ground than was contem
plated by the Government of India in their letter No. 2609-E.A.,* dated the 8th*No. 20 m
July 1905, but will, I trust, eventually be recognised as essential to the proper^-, w
working of the proposed railway. The Sultan’s consent to them has been gained 17 . 2 !. ° 8 ’
not without a struggle but without friction, and I have the honour to bring to the
notice of Government the services rendered in the matter by my Acting First
Assistant to whose tact and patience the result of these preliminary negotiations
is largely due.
DRAFT NOTIFICATION.
Whereas the Government of India are now prepared to consider favourably
proposals for the construction of a railway by private enterprise from Aden into
the interior of the Aden Protectorate and whereas Sir Ahmed Fadthl, K.C.S.I.,
Sultan of the Abdali has expressed his willingness and desire that such a railway
should be constructed through his territory, this is to notify that up to and
including the 1st day of April 1906 the Political liesident of Aden is now
prepared to consider offers and tenders for the construction of such a line for
recommendation to the Abdali Sultan and to the Government of India.
Ihe following are the general conditions on which the railway can be
constructed and offers should be framed accordingly.
H. M. MASON, Major-General,
Political llesident, Aden.
Draft of proposed condition under which a railway may he constructed by
private enterprise from Aden into the interior of Arabia agreed to by
Sultan Sir Ahmed Fadthl, F.C.S.I., Saltan Abdali, this sixteenth day of
November 190o.
I. Government reserve the right to purchase so much of the line as
lies within British territory at not less than cost price if it be desired to do so
at any time after the lapse of a period of 25 years from the date of the com
mencement of the line.
II. The Abdali Sultan reserves the right to purchase so much of the
line as lies within Abdali territory at not less than cost price if it be desirsd to
do so at any time after the lapse of a period of 25 years from the date of
commencement of the line.
III. Government shall have the right to use the railway for military
purposes under special conditions as to rates and fares.
IV. Offences committed on the line of railway shall be dealt with in
accordance with the treaties existing or hereafter concluded between the
British Government and the Abdali Sultan. The British Government shall
exercise sole jurisdiction over all Europeans and British subjects and the Abdali
Sultan shall exercise jurisdiction over his subjects. Odeuces committed on the
Railway by subjects of other Native States shall be disposed of in the Court 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.
at Aden; but offences committed on the Railway within
Abdali limits by subjects of other Native States of the Aden Protectorate in
which Abdali subjects are concerned shall be disposed of by the Abdali, Sultan,
About this item
- Content
The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, and notes, relating to proposals for the construction of a steam railway between Aden and its hinterland from 1904.
The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, year the subject file was opened, subject heading, and list of correspondence references contained in that volume by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
The correspondence is followed by further discussion on extending into Aden a railway to be built from Dar-al-Amir to Nobat Dakim [Nawbatal-Dakim, Yemen; identified on map four miles north of Al'Anad but not corresponding to any actual place], on its further extension to D'thala [Aḑ Ḑāli‘, Yemen], on the permission and financial contribution sought from the Government of India, and on negotiations with local rulers and tribes. A projected line from Hodeida [Al Hudaydah, Yemen] to Sana'a is also briefly discussed in the volume.
The main correspondents are the Aden Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. in London, and the Government of India.
The volume also includes cuttings from Parliamentary debates on 'The Aden Hinterland', and a 'Map of the Proposed Railway from Aden to Nobat Dakim' on folio 114.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (150 folios)
- Arrangement
The subject 379 (Railways) consists of one volume. The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 152; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. A large folded map is enclosed in a polyester sleeve, on folio 114.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/89
- Title
- 'File 379/1906 Railways: Aden; railway construction in Aden hinterland; Aden-Lahej Railway'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:113v, 115r:151v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence