File 600/1905 Pt 3 'Aden Hinterland: Situation; Withdrawal of Political Agent from Dthala; Treaties with Haushabi, Kotaibi and Alawi chiefs' [‎176v] (348/508)

nnd in regard to which a claim for compensation of Rs. 640 is now^outstanding
against the Haushabi Sultan. This attack also was probably mainly due to
disaffection against the Haushabi.
On the 8 th September last, a caravan was attacked by the same clan on
its wav from Mavia to Lahej. And quite recently our post at Suteffc has been
fired into on three occasions, and 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. , Dthala, reports that these
incidents also are probably due to the tribal disaffection of certain of the Radfan
trines against the Haushabi and the Abdali Sultans.
6 The affair reported in this office letter No. 5039, dated the 24th August
1906, was of course purely the result of tribal disaffection against the Amir of
Dthala.
7 . In brief, practically all the incidents which have of late disturbed the
peace of that portion of the Protectorate with which our relations are most
intimate, have been due in the main to tribal disaffection against one or more
of the three rulers named, the Abdali, the Haushabi, or the Amir of Dthala.
And the fact that we have ourselves suffered annoyance is due to the desire of
the tribes concerned to thus attract a greater measure of attention to their
grievances, whether real or imaginary.
8 At the same time all the incidents referred to, with the exception
perhaps of the Sheikh Othman postal robbery case, are matters which should
actually he dealt with by the rulers concerned, who, under the terms of their
treaties, are bound to secure the safety of the roads leading to Aden.
9 . U p to the present time practically no effective action has been taken
by those rulers, either to punish the offenders or to prevent the recurrence of
such incidents. On the other hand, the inadequate measures which they have
taken have served only to accentuate the disaffection which has caused them.
10. As an instance of the action taken, I would mention that, after the
Subehi attack on the caravan proceeding from Mavia to Lahej last month,
there was great talk of a joint expedition by the Haushabi and the Abdali to
punish the offenders. Upon the Haushabi Sultan’s special request for assist
ance, I presented him with 200 rounds of ammunition and a Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). present of
Rs. 500. The result was the interchange of a few shots which led to no
casualties on either side, and which were promptly followed by negotia
tions conducted by the Abdali leaders. As to these, Major Jacob reports
that the Haushabi Sultan was much incensed against the Abdali, “ who
bad only accentuated the feud between tbe Haushabi and Subehi while secor-
ing himself against the marauders,” and that the Haushabi Sultan was parti
cularly exasperated because it was at the Abdali’s instance that the Subehi
were in the first place attacked.
11. The futility of such measures as these, and the mischievous effect of such
half-hearted and ineffective reprisals have been frequently represented by this
Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. , and are referred to in some detail in Captain Hancock’s memorandum,
which accompanied this office letter No. 1150, dated 25th February 1906. The
references made in paragraphs 23 and 24 of that memorandum to the arguments
adduced by Colonel Mere wether forty years ago are still relevant to the existing
condition of affairs in the Aden hinterland. And at the present day the
actual benefits which we derive from the various stipends and presents which
are disbursed to the Chiefs of this Protectorate, are practically no more than
they were in the days when the enrolment of the Aden troop was first sanc
tioned by His Majesty’s Government.
12. In my letter No. 3419, dated the 9th June 1906, I have already made
certain proposals to Government, the adoption of which I am convinced can alone
provide an effective remedy to the evils referred to, Apd J would recommend
that these may now receive tbe earliest possible consideration.
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