File 600/1905 Pt 5 'Aden Hinterland: Treaty with Sultan of Balahaf' [‎164v] (112/152)

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India, whose orders must be awaited. If the Sheikhs desire to give you a
formal unanimous writing to the effect that they desire to formally remove
Sultan Saleh and substitute Mohsin in his stead, you might reeeive that and
promise to obtain Government orders thereon. They might then be sent hack
to Balahaf pending the orders of Government. Sultan Mohsin’s brother must
be detained pending orders of the Government of India. Please report fully
by letter.
No. 2387-E.B., dated Simla, the 21*t June 1905.
From—C. Somers Cocks, Esq., C.M.G., Assistant Secretary to the Government of
India, Foreign Department,
/
To—The Surveyor-General of India, Calcutta.
I am directed to transmit to you a tracing showing the Wahidi territory
round Balahaf on the southern coast of Arabia, nd to request that you will he
good enough to supply the Government of India in the Foreign Department
with 40 copies of the same.
No. 2388-E.B., dated Simla, the 21st June 1905.
Fiona—C. Somers Cocks, E.^q., C.M.G;, Assistant Secretary to the Government of
India, Foreign Department,
To—The Hon’ble Ma. S. W. Edgerley, C.I.E., Chief Secretary to the Government
of Bombay, Political Department.
I am directed to refer to the correspondence on the subject of Balahaf
affairs ending with your letter No. 3476 of June 3rd, 1905.
2. Captain Hancock’s Memorandum demonstrates clearly that the time
has come when the policy adopted in
• Secret E., August is94, Nos. 98-107. 1894* in regard to the treatment of Sultan
Mohsin might be modified with advantage on the lines indicated in the letters
t Pro. No. 24 l in Secret e., November 1902, from the Government of India of October
4th, 11902, and December 28th, J1903.
Nos 230—2<l8.
J Pro. No. 238 in Secret E., January 1904, Nos
237—328.
3. These lines appear to be followed in the recommendations now made
by His Excellency the Governor in Council; and I am to express the approval
of the Government of India of the proposal that Sultan Mohsin should be
recognized as titular Chief of the Wahidi tribe of Balahaf and that the stipend
due to the titular Sultan should henceforth be paid to him instead of to Sultan
Saleh. Seeps should now be taken to conclude a treaty with Sultan Mohsin
Pro. No. 47 iu Secret E , August 1895, Nos. 1 similar to that of 1895§ with Sultan Saleh.
"" 61 - The decision as to the number of signa
tories to which reference is made by 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. in his telegram of
May 15th, 1905, should be entirely governed by consideration of the policy
which is likely to be most effective in strengthening Sultan Mohsin’s authority
over the Balahaf Wahidis.
4 . It is observed that His Excellency in Council does not propose that the
Resident should interfere in the distribution of the Balahaf revenues. The
Government of India concur in this policy as regards the other Wahidi Chiefs;
Saleh in ceding territory to the Sultan of Sliehr and Mokalla. To allow such a
Pro No. 47, Secret e., August 1895, Nos. i— distinct violation of the treaty provisions
61 - of 18951| to pass without specific notice
might act as an encouragement to other chiefs in the neighbourhood of Aden
to disregard the provisions of their own treaties whenever it suited them to do
aggrandize himself in the direction of Balahaf should be stopped, once for aU»
as his intrigues must needs produce unrest in the district.
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