File 600/1905 Pt 6 'Aden Hinterland: Upper Yaffai; treaties with Sultan Kahtan and other Chiefs' [‎48v] (92/212)

4. I am now to submit, for the information of the Government of India,
the Resident’s No. 5046, dated the 24th August 1906, in which he reports that
he is satisfied with Kahtan’s position owing to the reconciliation with Haidara,
and has therefore paid the amount which he promised on the 17th May, and
that he is also paying Kahtan’s stipend at the rate of Rs. 2 per dollar, subject
* Pro. No. 103 in External a., August 1901 , Nos. to the understanding mentioned in the
102-103 Government of India letter* of the 6th
August 1901.
5 . I am in conclusion to say that no further move will be made in regard
to the relations with the Yaffai tribes, pending the final orders of the Secretary
of State on the general policy to he followed, but it appeared to His Excellency
the Governor in Council imperative to make good these pre-existing promises.
Note of an interview held on the 17th May 1906 between Major-General
E. Be Brath, Eolitical Resident, Aden, and Sultan Muhammad bin
Manassar and other representatives oj the Upper Yaffai tribe.
Resident interviewed (1) Sultan Muhammad bin Manassar, Kahtan’s
cousin, (2) Kahtan’s son Umar, (3) Manassar bin Alawi of Haidara’s faction
and (4; a nephew of Kahtan.
They produced an agreement entered into between Kahtan and Haidara
and duly attested, and on this they wanted the Resident’s imprimatur. Sultan
Ahmed Eadthl of Lahej was also to he consulted and it was understood that he
had a hand in promoting the project (owing doubtless to his matrimonial alli
ance in the Maussata clan).
The bond was recited in detail. It will be sufficient to say that by it all
things were to be in common between the two scions of the house of Sheikh Ali,
Harhara, including a stipend not by any means that now enjoyed by Kahtan,
but another and prospective one it was contemplated that Government w r ould
grant to Haidara. The quartette made it clear that after this re-union things
would work smoothly in that country, and Government would then be wel
comed there.
The Resident congratulated them on the good friendship evinced between
the two, at one time irreconcilable, representatives of the house of Sheikh Ali
Harhara, but made it clear that the arrangement was purely a private one and
further required no seal or imprimatur from himself.
If, however, the union of the two Sultans meant the rehabilitation of
Kahtan, our nominee, he would be pleased to ask Government at once to pay
down the moiety of the $3,000 promised to Kahtan as due after his re-entry
into his dar, and that as regards further assistance in the way of arms and
money, as suggested by the party, Government would prefer to have some
anterior and visible demonstration of the power which the proposed re-union
promised to exercise. After Kahtan’s re-installation, the Resident would advise
the desirability of Haidara’s inclusion in the list of stipendiaries and would
further consider the question of arms and ammunition.
The party said they would journey to Lahej and there await Government’s
decision, which the Resident reminded them could not be expected earlier than
the lapse of two months’ time.
2 . They then spoke of ‘Ali Mohsin’ Askar and asked if they might recall
him to our allegiance. Further, would
the Resident ask the Amir to use his
influence in his recall. The Resident
replied that as ‘ Ali Mohsin had gratuit
ously insulted the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and
committed an unfriendly act on the border, the first step lay with him. We
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