Coll 1/67 'Aden. Changes in administration in the event of separation from India: miscellaneous questions' [‎57v] (114/769)

revenue and expenditure which, as explained by our linance Member in Assembly,
roughly balance.
3. Copies of debates have only just been placed in hands of members of the
Executive Council, some of whom, as is usual during move to Delhi, are on tour.
Some delay in formulating our views on debates and on questions set forth in first
paragraph of your telegram is thus inevitable. We are however fully alive to urgency
and importance of putting before you at the earliest possible moment our considered
opinion on future of Aden, which, as debates in both chambers have shown, is matter
of considerable material and sentimental importance to India. We shall telegraph
our views as soon as possible and trust no decision as to Aden s future will be taken
until von are in possession of them.
Government of India, Foreign and Political Department, to Secretary
of State for India.
(Received 12.30 p.m., 12th October, 1933.)
Telegram.
(Secret.)
12th October. 38 C. Reference our telegram of the 3rd instant, 2400 (sic)
Aden.
2. Having regard to the views expressed by all sections of Indian opinion in
recent debates in the Assembly and Council of State, we strongly urge that wdien the
future of Aden is considered, strength of genuine Indian sentiment in favour of
retaining it as part of British India should be recognised. This sentiment can be met
by maintaining broad features of the present arrangements under which the defence
of Aden and relations with adjoining protectorate are a responsibility of His Majesty’s
Government, while the civil administration alone is concern of the Government of
India.
We see no serious difficulty in carrying forward these arrangements into the
new constitution. Civil administration would, as now, be entrusted to Chief Com
missioner as officer subordinate to the federal Government, but subject to convention
that the officer appointed by His Majesty’s Government to hold charge of the protec
torate and political relations with the interior would automatically be appointed Chief
Commissioner by the federal Government. We trust that His Majesty’s Government
may see their way to accept the arrangement on these lines, which would leave them
free to protect themselves in any way, both as regards the defence of Aden and its
use as strategic point. So little is involved in the civil administration of the town
of Aden, that it would seem politically most undesirable simply, for the purpose of
effecting its transfer from the future federal Government, to embitter Indian feeling
in a matter in which practical issues are of such minor importance.
We would draw particular attention to this aspect of the case. It may perhaps
be necessary at some future date for His Majesty’s Government to assume civil control
of Aden, but to do so now would we feel be most unfortunate. We are at present
preparing to hand over to India a large measure of control of her own affairs and,
in so doing, are demonstrating our trust in her future willingness to maintain the
Imperial connexion. If, at the same time, we take from her what small measure of
control she still exercises over the one Imperial link with which she is directlv con
nected, we shall incur ihe obvious criticism that our professions of trust are meaningless
and that w T e do not believe either in her power or will to remain within the Empire,
such action on our part will, we feel, engender widespread resentment in India and
will undoubtedly be a most unfortunate precursor to the introduction of the new
constitution.
3. His Excellency the Viceroy, who was absent in Assam when the above
opinion was formulated, concurs in these views which represent those of the majority
of his Council.
4. Should His Majesty’s Government approve of these proposals, we will con
sider in detail the question of including Aden in our proposals for the Chief Com
missioner’s provinces in the new Constitution.