File 600/1905 Pt 3 'Aden Hinterland: Situation; Withdrawal of Political Agent from Dthala; Treaties with Haushabi, Kotaibi and Alawi chiefs' [‎179v] (354/508)

4. For some time matters were kept tderablf straight by coaxing and
indicious treatment. But on many occasions acute cfistress as caused to the
garrison and inhabitants of Aden generally by the roads being dosed and by
supplies being stopped from coming in.
5. In those days the Arabs were poorly armed and as an enemy generally
looked down upon. They were, however, mobile and active.
6 The necessity for the entertainment of a body of mounted men for the
protection of the approaches to the Fortress was first represented by Brigadier-
General Coghlan in 1855 who then wrote “ Our vast fortifications while
thev effectually defy any land attack upon us cannot protect the road beyond
gunshot of the works : our Arab allies are unable to do so : the most obvious
remedy, therefore, is that a body of cavalry should form part of this garrison.
Having this, the attitude of hostile neighbours w^ould be almost a matter of
indifference to us ; and I have no hesitation in declaring my conviction that
for the future such stoppages as have harassed us and injured our trade ever
since our occupation of Aden would be unknown.” He also wrote :—“ So
contemptible is Arab warfare that no body of men v\ bich could be assembled
in these parts would dare to appear in the vicinity of a party of well-appointed
irregular cavalry.”
7 . At the end of 1855 the Honourable Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. sanctioned a
Trocp of Horsemea for Police purposes at Aden, and this was raised at Jaco-
babad by volunteers from the Sind Horse. They, however, never reached their
destination. They sailed from Karachi on the 20 th April 1856, but when near
Aden the ship conveying them turned and went to Bombay where they remained
the whole of the monsoon of that year. On the Persian war breaking out
at the end of that year, the Commanding Officer volunteered, the services of the
troop and went to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Afterwards be and his troop were em
ployed in the Deccan and in Central India during the mutinies.
8 . At last Brigadier-General Coghlan evidently despairing of ever seeing
the troop at Aden recommended their being disbanded. And a camel corps was
ordered to be raised in their place. This was formed in Lower Sind and in due
course reached Aden. But as on trial it was found that the Indian Camel
Sowars could not compete with the Arabs in rapidity of movement or facility
in handling the camel, this body was likewise disbanded.
9. In 1865 Lieutenant-Colonel W. L. Merewether again vigorously
represented the necessity for the entertainment of a body of mounted men at
Aden. He pointed out that though Aden had then been in possession of the
British for 26 years and although much had been done to improve relations
with our Arab neighbours, matters were still not as they should be and were
not on a sufficiently sound basis to enable us to consider ourselves safe from
annoyance and even insults at the hands of any dissatisfied Arab Chief who
might take it into his head to close the roads and prevent the commonest
necessaries, such as grass, grain and wood, from entering Aden for days, causing
the greatest inconvenience to troops and townspeople.
10. He furnished a detailed account of the relations then subsisting with
our Arab neighbours and made special reference to the troublesome attitude of
Ahmed bin Abdulla, the head of the Fadthli tribe. He referred to the Subebis
as a large scattered tribe under no particular head, formerly powerful and
wealthy, but now weak from internal quarrels and fallen into a great state of
poverty, as residing partly in the hills and partly in the plain, and as much
given to plundering, but only in small bodies.
11. He pointed out that should safety on the roads be permanently
imperilled, the trade, which in spite of many disadvantages had increased and
Showed a tendency to still further increase, would be diverted from Aden to
some other outlet and either return to Mokha or go to Mokalla. He referred to
the general position as “ most undoubtedly derogatory to us as a great power.
12. In referring to the treaty concluded in 1849 with the Sultan of Lahej
under which the latter bound himself to keep the roads leading to Aden clear
of plundering parties and to protect all merchandise passing through his