File 600/1905 Pt 5 'Aden Hinterland: Treaty with Sultan of Balahaf' [‎130v] (44/152)

a local inquiry into the rights of the family concerned over the Port, and also
with a view to ascertaining on the spot the wishes of all the members of the
family and of the Sheikhs and Akils of the wahidi both in regard to the
Sultanship and the true interests of the port of Balahaf.
2. I am directing my First Assistant Resident after holding this enquiry
to bring the leading Akils and Sheikhs concerned into Aden with a view to an
ultimate settlement of their affairs being arrived at here, subject of coarse to
the final approval of Government, to whom a full report will be submitted
upon the conclusion of the inquiry.
3. Meanwhile in reference to the degree of interest in the port of Balahaf
with which Sultan Saleh has endeavoured to part, I have the honour to invite
reference to the deeds of sale submitted to Government with this office No. 626
of the 9th February 1P05, wherein reference is made to the famous and well
known half of the port of Balahaf and of the port of Khisat Jal’a together
with all rights of administration and suzerainty on the coast and inland on all
sides of the port, and also to paragraph 6 of this office letter No. 200, dated
27th November 1904, where it was reported as the result of personal inquiry
then made that half the customs dues were sent to Sultan Saleh and half to
Mohsin.
4. From the statement appended to this office letter No. 142, dated 9th
January 1905, it would, however, appear that Sultan Saleh’s share in the port
was formerly ^th and is now only j^ths. And further local inquiry thus
seems advisable to clear up remaining doubts on this particular point.
5. I have further the honour to invite consideration of the fact that the
deeds of sale above referred to mention “all rights of administration and
suzerainty on the coast and inland on all sides of the port,” but that in this
office letter No. 200, dated 27th November 1904, the port is described as the
ruins of a fort and a few huts built of mats and it is there stated that the port
was maintained merely as a custom post for the collection of dues on exports
and imports such as camel’s hair cloth, jowari and kerosine oil, and that only
about 20 to 30 men w r ere ordinarily stationed there for collection of those dues.
The proposed further local inquiry will, it is hoped, clear up any remaining
doubts as to rights of suzerainty and administration included in the so-called
shares in the port of Balahaf.
* At-** ,
No. 3476, dated Bombay Castle, the 3rd June 1905.
From—The Hon’ble Mr. S. W. Edgerliy, C.I.E., Chief Secretary to the Govern
ment of Bombay, Political Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
In continuation of my letter No. 2780, dated the 3rd May 1905, I am
directed to forward herewith, for the information of the Government of India,
copy of a letter from the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. , Aden, No. 2952, dated 21st May
1905, and of its enclosures, together with copy of a telegram from the Resident
dated the 15th ultimo, and of my reply thereto, dated the 17th idem, on the
subject of affairs at Balahaf.
2. It is not necessary for His Excellency the Governor in Council to write
at any length. The position of affairs has been very thoroughly cleared up by
Captain Hancook’s thorough enquiry, and it is clear that the Sheikhs of the
Wahidi tribe are unanimous in their resolution to depose Sultan Saleh bin
Abdulla and to recognise Mohsin bin Saleh as their titular Sultan. It is clear
also that, in the opinion of the Resident at Aden, Sultan Mohsin alone has in
fluence to hold the tribe together, and that whatever influence Sultan Saleh
previously had has been sacrificed by Ins negotiations with Sultan Ghalib of
Shehr and Mokalla. That being so His Excellency the Governor in Council
would recommend that accomplished facts be accepted and that Sultan Mohsin
be recognised as titular Sultan of the Wahidi tribe of Balahaf and that the
stipend due to the titular Sultan should be paid to him. It is not necessary for
Government to consider at present how he will distribute the stipend to other
34