File 600/1905 Pt 3 'Aden Hinterland: Situation; Withdrawal of Political Agent from Dthala; Treaties with Haushabi, Kotaibi and Alawi chiefs' [‎166v] (328/508)

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subiects. Pin ally, the Politieal Agent has been able to secure the restoration
of three ruined boundary pillars on the demarcated frontier, a matter which
io might have been difficult of arrangement from Aden.
^ 5. All these incidents, in our opinion, and in the opinion of the Bombay
Government and the local authorities, illustrate the advantage of maintain
ing an officer permanently at D’thala with reference to the fhst two consi
derations mentioned in paragraph 3 above. It is understood, however, that His
Maiesty’s Government have definitely decided not to retain an officer perma
nently or for an indefinite period at D’thala for these purposes, and consider
that the recent treaties of demarcation and Protectorate ought to strengthen
the hands of the Political authorities at Aden sufficiently to permit of the
resumption of a policy of inactivity in this region. It only icmains therefore
to consider, whether an early withdrawal would be prejudicial to our interests
as regards the struggle between the Imam and the Porte.
6. As regards this point attention is invited to General.DeBrath’s letter
No. 6560, dated 4th November 1906, in which he informed us that the Imam
of Yemen had been making overtures to the Abdali Sultan and that he was
anxious to enter into a treaty of alliance with the British Government. Ihe
situation in Yemen is still very unsettled, and the Porte have apparently found
it necessary to despatch a commission comprising leading Mullas to effect a
settlement*by pacific means which they have hitherto failed to secure hy force
of arms. Our latest advices point to a" recrudescence of fighting between the
Turks and Arabs, it is by no means improbable that the Imam will make
further endeavours to attract protected Chiefs to his side. >o long as our Agent
is at D’thala, we are likely to get timely intelligence of such intrigues, and
Major Jacob will be able, by his personal influence, to frustrate them. After
the withdrawal, however, it is quite possible that they may flourish undetected,
and serious complications might conceivably ensue. His Majesty’s Govern
ment will doubtless consider, in this connection, the representation which
Sir N. O’Conor has already submitted to Sir E. Grey in his letter No. 540 of
7th August 1906 as to the advisability of withdrawing the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
while the Yemen is still in a disturbed and critical condition.
7. If, however, His Majesty’s Government hold it unnecessary, even with
reference to affairs in the Yemen, to retain a post of observation at D’thala,
then, much as wq shall regret the abandonment of the political position at
D’thala, we can only agree in the opinion expressed by the Bombay Govern
ment and the Political Besident, to the effect that the further retention of
the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , if this is given out or known to be for a purely temporary
purpose only, will probably not be of much advantage as regards the protection
of the trade route or the management of local border aff airs.
8. 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. has, however, recommended strongly that,
simultaneously with the withdrawal, certain arrangements should be made for
the purpose of ensuring the safety of the Aden-D’thala road. Briefly, his
scheme is that agreements should be entered into with the Kotaibi, Haushabi,
and Alawi tribes with the object of making them responsible for safeguarding
portions of the road which pass through their territories.
9. In the first place we may consider the arrangements proposed with
regard to the Kotaibis. The Chief of this tribe has recently addressed to the
Political Officer at D’thala a notice in which he has threatened, as soon as the
Government post is withdrawn, to “consider his own convenience”. Major
Jacob interprets this to mean that he will commence to exact dues from travel
lers on his portion of the Aden-D’thala road as he did in former times. The
Kotaibi tribe, belongs to the Radfan group, which is in nominal subordination to
the Amir of D’thala, but although the Amir has been granted a special addition
to his subsidy in order to enable him to maintain a foice of 50 men for the
purpose of keeping the Aden-D’thala road safe, yet the control exercised by
him is very slight. The opinion of 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. is that, unless the
Kotaibi Chief is attached to our interests by some special concession, there
will be reason to anticipate a reimposition of the vexatious dues upon passing
caravans and a general recrudescence of the disorder which led to the last
Kotaibi expedition of 1903. He accordingly recommends that a stipend of