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File 600/1905 Pt 6 'Aden Hinterland: Upper Yaffai; treaties with Sultan Kahtan and other Chiefs' [‎63v] (122/212)

The record is made up of 1 item (104 folios). It was created in Jan 1904-Feb 1920. It was written in English and Arabic. 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. .

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2
house and liberal presents. Though no opportunity is lost in impressing upon
the Arab Chiefs and their followers that the hospitality accorded and the
nresents given are conditional on their good behaviour, it has been diiGcult to
disabuse their minds of the notion they have formed, and they claim both
hospitalitv and gifts as a matter of right. The liabilities in this respect nuist,
therefore,' continue to exist, and Government are themselves aware of the la ge
amounts annually spent in entertainment and presents.
5 Bv the protectorate clause of the treaties we have taken upon
ourselves I national responsibility, inasmuch as we have * cro ^ f
the tribes against foreign aggression. This is more or less well understood y a l
the tribesmen, particularly those on the frontier, to whom I believe, the matter
has been fully explained by the Commission. As to the best means of fulfil-
ling this responsibility, it must apparently be decided on each occasion as
necessity arises.
6 The third stipulation is binding on the Chief, but corresponding there
to there is a public duty devolving upon the British Government to se e that the
safety of the caravan routes is maintained in the interests of tiade. As to
best to fulfil this obligation is the question. It is suggested m the Secretary
of State’s despatch that it might be possible either by the superior influence of
the Sultan of Lahej, or by a clear understanding ^
induce the tribes to come to a common arrangement amongst themselve.
reference to the protection of the trade routes which is a duty common to all
of them Interruption on the roads, if not invariably is frequently the
result of inter-tribal dilferences. So long, therefore, as Wood feuds and quarrels,
which often break out in open strife, continue to exist between the
tribes or their sub-sections, it will, it seems to me, be impossi e 0 ,
voluntarily come to any common understanding or even, if they do, to mak
them adhere to it for any length of time.
7 In this connection another course suggests itself, namely, to make one
or more of the important Chiefs responsible for the safety oi the routes^ Bu
the policy of using one Chief to control tribes other than his own has not been
r, success^ and I do not think ever could he successful for any length of tune as
has been illustrated in the history of the Abdali. The Sultan of Lahcj cou
not maintain his authority over the Subaihis, and more recent events showed
that he had no influence over the Haushabi, whose Sultan m a "' eak
ulaced himself under subjection to the Abdah. So long as the selected Sultan
Fs of strong individuality and character the arrangement would work well.
Butin the event of his successor proving to he weak it cannot W maintaine
except with the moral and material support of the British. Affording such
assistance to any Chief to keep his authority over tribes other than his own,
that is throw in" the weight of our power in favour of one tribe against anot er,
would; it seemoto me, bo°not quite'consistent with our traditional policy of
non-interference in inter-tribal matters.
8 The only measures we can adopt at present to enforce the maintenance
of the safety of the trade routes are either punitive expeditions or discontinu
ance of the stipends and presents. These punitive expeditions, on however
? ° iA™ havin°* regard to the character of the country, duhcult and
“tnsive and cannot often "be resorted to, while suspension of stipends and
nresents would not always be very effectual, as many of the stipends being small
Te loss incurred by their forfeiture could be made up by the tribes concerned
by a few raids here and there.

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Content

Part 6 of the file relates to treaty relations with tribal sections of the Upper Yaffai [Upper Yafa].

The correspondents include:

Several matters are covered by the papers, including:

  • a treaty with Sultan Kahtan-bin-Omer Har-Hara [Qaḥṭān bin ‘Umar al-Harhara] of the ruling dynasty of the Yaffa'i al-Sufal tribe;
  • treaties with the Muflahai [Al-Muflihi], Mausatta [Al-Mawsata], Hadthrami [Al-Hadhrami], Al-Shaibi, and Dthubi [Al-Dhubi] sections of the Yaffa'i al-Sufal tribe;
  • treaties with the ruler of Behan-Al-Kasab [Bayḥān al-Qasāb] and the ruler of the Upper Aulaqi territory;
  • an agreement with Shaikh Mutahir Ali [Muṭahir ‘Alī] of ‘Ardaf in Shaib to maintain boundary pillars along the borders of his territory;
  • the question of who should be recognised as Sultan of the Upper Yafa, particularly after the death of Qaḥṭān bin ‘Umar in September 1913;
  • payment of a regular stipend to the Sultan.

Folio 98 is a genealogical chart of the Sultans of Yaffa'i al-Sufal.

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1 item (104 folios)
Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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File 600/1905 Pt 6 'Aden Hinterland: Upper Yaffai; treaties with Sultan Kahtan and other Chiefs' [‎63v] (122/212), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/75/3, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100026748149.0x000084> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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