File 600/1905 Pt 3 'Aden Hinterland: Situation; Withdrawal of Political Agent from Dthala; Treaties with Haushabi, Kotaibi and Alawi chiefs' [‎205v] (406/508)

7 There renin.in. uusettleii, certtiin drums preferred l>y the Amir egsunSt
Turtish suhiects as recorded in my Confi.lential Memorandum No 1371 of
14tli Desrniber 1906. I liad proposed that during our stay here _ L should be
tlie medium for the Amir’s protestations and should similarly receive the Kahn-
makam’s replies and forward these to the Amir. These claims and cross-
claims cannot be but chronic. As soon as the present cases are settled, others f
will succeed, for the commerce across the line is extensive. With our political
removal, there is nothing left but to permit direct correspondence between
Amir and Kaimmakam as prevail'd before our advent. bating to get
satisfaction, the Amir will apply to Aden, and the Kaimmakam to laiz to
Sanaa.
(a) I have elsewhere detailed the necessary recurrence of ill-will caused
by the excessive tithe collections of .Turkish Arabs on land*Amiri drifted by
the late demarcation across the line. So long as the lines are thus interlaced,
disputes are inevitable.
On Amiri lands passed by delimitation across the border, the Amir collects
the revenueSi hut the ^Turkish Arabs exact the tithes, and often in excess of the
recognised one-tenth of the produce. Turkish lands drifted across to the Amiri
s’de'are similarly treated, except that the Amir confines his tithes to the strict
one-tenth. He, however, has often threatened reprisals. An exchange of lands
might be suggested as the panacea, hut the Arab does not like to part with
bis own. Trouble, then, is ever imminent and affairs maybe brought to an
impaste. The Kaimmakam has been written to by me and has promised to
enquire, hut he is so often away from Kataba collecting his revenues, that I
have been so far unable to fix a meeting. Unless some more definite policy is
decreed by Government, and as we have fully resolved to evacuate, any pro
longed stay on this account will effect hut little. The Amir may he told to
exercise patience, but perhaps if he did copy Turkish methods and enhance bis
tithes on Turkish lands, the other party would be the readier to compromise. I
think it is possible to overact the role of Aristides. Our justice should not be
misconstrued to mean weakness.
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8 . As regards the tlnee dismantled pillars in Sha’bi territory, I would
advocate at this state that they he repaired by Sheikh Mutahir Ali to whom
we pay dollars 7 per mensem as custodian of these three pillars situated in his
country. Unless we go there with Turkish congnizance, Turkish suspicions
will be" aroused and the work stopped pending reference to Constantinople.
The course I suggest will preclude such a contingency. The work will he
carried out on the spot and quietly by the Sheikh concerned at his expense
according to the agreement. The pillars are not absolutely raised, tbeir bases
remain intact 0 nr journey there will be expensive, moreover, by reason of
present to Sha’bi Sheikhs.
9. Adverting to Juban-Nawa l)’thabiani affairs : I am not clear as to
Government’s intentions there. All the trio dread Turkish advances. Juban
has often asked petulently how with the inter-tribal nexus that prevails
between itself, Nawi, D’thabiani, Upper Yafa and Rubia’ten, Government have
brought all save itself within the circle of their friendship. Nawa and
D’thabiani are doubtful which side of the line they fall. At times they abuse
my apathy towards them, at others, they crave British protection, while,
again, they write asserting their independence of both Governments.
The Mausata clan of Upper Y’afa, where we have two stipendiaries, have
tribal agreements with Juhan and lately went there to settle Juban-Nawa
disputes. The border we have lately demarcated twnxt ourselves and the
Turks is unintelligible to the tribes, who, accustomed for ages to meddle in
each other’s affairs, ignore this recent political division of rights, witness the
help given by the Turkish Ahl Mures to the Shairis on their late skirmish
with Amir Stiaif.
' 10. As to Upper Yafa : Kahtan bin Umar, the Sultan of the D’thubi
Section, is still not restored to his former authority, though he has just written
optimistically about it. Haidara bin Muhammad, who is of the same house,
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