'File 379/1906 Railways: Aden; railway construction in Aden hinterland; Aden-Lahej Railway' [‎116r] (236/308)

H. Subsequently, investigations showed tliat the western borders of the Jul4di,
Burerni, and Atifi sectioiis of the Subehi extended respectively to the points, ’.ll ama,
Akkar, and Kudnm, and although these extreme limits have not been insisted on the
y boundary actually delimited from J. Numan to Husn Murad still vindicates the
Subehi claims, as against 1 urkish pretensions, to the extent of some hundreds of
square miles. The Turks bad in the past unobtrusively exercised jurisdiction up to
the line of J. Am Missas and J. Kharaz, the Subehi tribal subsections of Mudariba,
Aghbari, Kaluli, Mahwali, and Jarthati having actually paid taxes to the Ottoman
officials at Mokha.
7. The Turkish Commissioners at first insisted strongly on their claim to the
Aghbari, mainly on account of the religious importance attached by their authorities
to the well-known shrine of Turha Abu-el-Esrar, situated within Aghbari limits; and
it was only in the course of the Ottoman Commissioner’s recent prolonged stay at
Sheikh Said that the claim was relinquished. The result was to yield a natural
boundary, which, from J. Js'uman, almost entirely follows the watershed between the
Hed Sea and the Gulf of Aden, is easily distinguishable, and has the further merit of
being the recognized border between the tribal subsections inhabiting the countrv
through which it passes.
8. Despite the general barren character of the country this section of the frontier
has also the advantage that it can be easily visited by large or small parties, as
sufficient water for a camp of from 300 to 400 men is to be found at short stages or
marches along its entire extent. At Mijza there is abundant flowing water, and
similarly at Mudariba, some 8 miles to the west of Mijza. The wells at Turba Abu-
el-Esrar, some 8 miles north-west of Mudariba, yield a fair amount of good water, and
water is also to be had in the Upper reaches of the Wadis Batan and Farrukhia, while
there is a plentiful spring at Ghail Hurim (the point marked 1575 on the ^-inch
map), in Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Hurim. Water is also obtainable lower down the same wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , at the
point 1120, due south of J, Jariba, as also at Am Nabia and Sukaiya, which have each
a fair supply of good drinking water.
9. The Memoranda forwarded with the Commission’s letters of the 4th June, 1904,
and the 8th June, 1904, contain the information obtainable from native sources as to
French and Turkish past dealings at Sheikh Said, and their bearing on Subehi rights
to the place. The Hakmi Sheikh Thabit Am Duren was the individual with whom
the French dealt, while Sheikh Mohammad Ali Eattahi was confidentially employed
by both French and Turks, as appears from his evidence given in the Memoranda
above referred to. Both Sheikhs, who were very advanced in years, died early in
last February, two interesting links with the past history of Sheikh Said being thus
removed.
10. In accordance with the instructions contained in the Secretary of State for
India’s telegram of the 18th April to the Government of India, two masonry pillars
in cement (3 feet at the base and 5 feet high) have been built under the supervision
of Lieutenant H. J. Couchman, K.E., at the points LXXI and LXXII in the vicinity
of Sheikh Said, while the Turkish Commissioner has had a cairn of rough stone, about
2 metres in height, erected at the point LXX.
11. The proces-verbal records the definition of the north-east boundary line from
Lakamat-ash-Shub to the desert agreed upon with the Turkish Commissioner, as also
the places and tribes definitely recognized as on the British side of such a line. By
the Sultan’s Irade of February 1903 the Turkish Commissioners were instructed ‘‘to
delimit in a north-easterly direction from Lakamat-ash-Shub towards the desert/ but,
as shown in paragraph 4 of the Commission’s letter of the 1st October, 1903, they
then considered that they had carried out their instructions to demarcate in a north
easterly direction when they had delimited to point I on the W. Bana. The specific
admission that Rube’aten, Na’wa, and Dabiani belong to Yafa’ now definitely carries
the line some 20 miles further in the north-easterly direction.
12. As may be noticed from the wording of the proces-verbal, I have not expressly
surrendered Yafa’s rights to J uban, but have merely omitted all mention of their
claim to the place, although the Ottoman Commissioner’s admission that Rube’aten,
Na’wa, and Dabiani belong to Yafa’ is conditional on Juban remaining part of the
Kaza of Rada.
I may point out that the basis of demarcation accepted by both Governments was
the status of 1901, and that at that time all four places were considered as Turkish,
while 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. records of 1894 mentioned Rube’aten, Na’vva, and Juban as
being within Turkish limits. Thus, in obtaining the recognition by the Turks that
Rube’aten, Na’wa, and Dabiani are Yafa’, we are obtaining more than the status