File 600/1905 Pt 4 'Aden Hinterland: Proposed Treaties with the Sultans of Beda and Audali; Treaty with Beda held in abeyance' [‎210v] (52/158)

6 . The Audali-Beda quarrel of long standing have recently been patched up
under the auspices of the Fadthli Sultan and we anticipate that the routes will
now be secure and the volume of trade—already potentially great—increase.
7. We can, if Government so wish, tell Ali bin Abdallah, the Beda Sultan,
that we are his friends and we hope to maintain cordial relations with him and his
people, but I fear that this will be wholly unintelligible to him. The Arab believes
only what he can see: he wants something more tangible than words. Again,
although in theory we reserve our right of dealing with the Chief as the spokesman
of his tribesmen, yet in practice this will not work in democratic Arabia, and in dis
appointing a chief we embitter his tribesmen and so extend the area of discontent
which spreads throughout the country.
i 8.11 is, therefore, in my opinion imperative, looking to our isolation in’Aden,
to cement our friendship within and to include the Chiefs periodically to come in
to see the Resident. We can have no bold on a chief with whom we have no
paper engagement, and we cannot afiord to give so important a chief as Beda the
cold shoulder.
9. I trust that His Excellency the Governor in Council will review his decision
and press Beda’s claims before the Government of India. The Audali’s claims are
scarcely less important. He is still pressing for the treaty.
No. 4056, dated Bombay Castle, the 16th June 1911.
From—C. A. Kincaid, Esq., Secretary to 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. , Political
Department,
To—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.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. C-182, dated the
13th May 1911, reiterating your request for the conclusion of a treaty with the
Beda Sultan.
2 . In reply I am to state that Government regret that the reasons advanced
by you are still, in their opinion, not sufficiently strong for pressing upon the
Government of India the proposal put forward by you.