File 600/1905 Pt 5 'Aden Hinterland: Treaty with Sultan of Balahaf' [‎111r] (5/152)

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No. 99 or 1906.
GOVERNMENT OP INDIA.
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT.
SECRET.
External.
To
Tee Right Hon’ble JOIIN MORLEY, O.M.,
His Majesty's Secretary of State for India.
Simla, the 19th July 190G.
Sir,
We have the honour to address you on the subject of our relations with
the Wahidi tribe of Balahaf.
2. In 1894 the Government of India approved the recommendation of
the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. that Sultan Saleh-bin-Abdulla should be recognised
as titular Chief of Balahaf in place of Sultan Mohsin-bin-Saleh who had been
deposed, and that a fresh protectorate treaty should be entered into with the
new Chief in the names of himself and his relations, in place of the former
one executed in 1888. The new Treaty was concluded in 1895, and a eopy
of it was forwarded to you with our Secret despatch No. 146, dated 23rd
July 1895.
3 . Sultan Mohsin-bin-Saleh subsequently re-established himself as the
de facto ruler of the tribe, and was the prime mover in an outrage committed
by the tribe in 1902, when the whole of the treasure and cargo contained in a
dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. , which was wrecked near Balahaf, was stolen.
Restitution of the property was demanded from Mohin-bin-Saleh and his
submission was also required. In consequence of punitive measures taken by
the Resident, the first condition was complied with, but owing to a mis
understanding Mohsin-bin-Saleh did not make his submission to the Resident
until December 1904.
4. In January 1905, it was reported that Sultan Saleh, the titular Sultan
of Balahaf, had endeavoured to sell his share in the revenues of the port of
Balahaf, and also certain territorial rights in the interior of the country to
Sultan Ghalib, the son of the Sultan of Shehr and Mokalla. The alienation of
territorial rights without the previous consent of Government was in open viola
tion of the Sultan’s treaty obligations, and the whole transaction was vehe
mently repudiated by the tribesmen. The cession of territory was treated as
void by the Government of India, and a formal notification was issued to
this effect. But further the Resident at Aden reported that the Sheikhs of
the AVahidi tribe were unanimous in their resolution to depose Sultan-bin-Saleh
and to recognise Mohsin-bin-Saleh as their temporary Sultan, since he alone
possessed sufficient influence to hold the tribe together.
5 . In view of these facts and having regard to the irregular action of
Sultan Saleh, the Government of India decided that Sultan Mohsin should be
recognised as titular Chief and that the stipend due to the Sultan should hence
forth be paid to him instead of to Sultan Saleh.