'File 379/1906 Railways: Aden; railway construction in Aden hinterland; Aden-Lahej Railway' [‎130v] (265/308)

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5. In view of tlio consideration that his consent and 2 :ood-will is most
important to the success of the enterprise, it would appear politic to take as
lenient a view as possible of his present attitude. At the same time it appears
absolutely necessary to correct it. r
6. In regard to the Parsi capitalist concerned, it seems sufficient to
remark that it would not seem fair to allow him to gain any undue advantage
oyer other competitors by his recent action ; and that in view of the fact that
his Jewish rival acting under my advice expressly refrained from enterino*
mto any agreement which w^as not made subject to the sanction and consent of
Government, it seems only just that he too should be given an opportunity of
tendering for any scheme that may eventually receive that sanction.
This gentleman, Mr. Menahim Messa, is a capitalist of considerable
substance and standing in South-Western Arabia. He is said to have more
capital at his back than Messrs. Cowasjee Dinshavv & Bros. The name of
Sassoon has been mentioned amongst his other supporters. His family have
been resident in this portion of Arabia for many generations, and h:s standing
and position amongst the tribes of the hinterland is considerable.
• i Z* re £ ar( ^ ^1° scheme as set forth in the agreement recently entered
mto between the Abdali Sultan and Messrs Cow T asjee Dinshaw & Bros it
appears to suffer from inherent defects which place it, as it stands, beyond the
possibility of acceptance.
8. In order to secure the concession, the capitalist appears willing to
make sacrifices which seem prejudicial to the success of the undertaking from
a business point of view, whilst from a political point of view he takes it upon
lumself to guarantee the Sultan certain rights and privileges to which he is
entitled by neither Treaty nor usage.
9. Special exception must be taken to the imposition of quit rent on land
to be occupied by the railroad and stations, to the absence of any survey or
plans or statistics of Hie actual project proposed, to the unwarrantable guarantee
of rights of jurisdiction over British and Foreign subjects, to the boycot of Jews
and Europeans from the enterprise, and to the lack of any proper provision for
preliminary inspection, accounts, returns, weights of loads, and reports of
accidents, etc.
1( ?;. Th ® m "F e ^ of such agreement having been drafted increases the
difficulties of ultimately negotiating the enterprise; and though Mr. Hormusjee
Cowasjee may have been actuated by the best and most loyal of motives, there
seems little doubt that his somewhat hasty conclusion of his own recent direct
negotiations with (he Sultan must not only lead to his own discomfiture, but is
calculated to considerably add to the difficulties of carrying any Railway
scheme into the Aden Hinterland to a successful issue.
11. As to the terms and conditions which I think it necessary to impose
upon any agreement which could be recognized by Government, I have the
honour to suggest the following
(a) The project must be submitted in full detail to Government for
approval and sanction.
{b) Land should he granted free of charge for all purposoe of the railroad
subject to compensation being paid for any actual loss sustained
and proved to the satisfaction of Government.
Kvj u urisuiciion over tne line must ue suujeui to uovernment supervisio
Jurisdiction over all British subjects and over all Europcr
loieign subjects must he ceded to Government entirely. Juri
diction over African or Asiatic Foreign subjects may be exercise
by the Court of the Abdali Sultan subject to the s^pervfsion
Government. r
{d) Materials required for construction of line, stations, etc., shall be free
of taxation.