File 600/1905 Pt 3 'Aden Hinterland: Situation; Withdrawal of Political Agent from Dthala; Treaties with Haushabi, Kotaibi and Alawi chiefs' [‎255r] (505/508)

13. 1 cajii assure Goverumenf flmf t •
T^y interfere with the internal and domestic “£ 1 . aten * i< ’J' 0 f desire to in any
<mn be avoided, and that the measures which I hlvpV f the , tribes > w ^re this
such as would, in the end, prove the e most C effectivr pr0p0sed are in opinion
rebruaryiaFt, there P isa 4 refereM?to W thfnet C0 rel!lt m f mOraQ H Um ° f the 22ud
Majesty’s Government. Anr^t cerL Sr^ 06 an<1 demur His
Protectorate was there less trouble in the ] ' n ° V' 1 ' 1 m tbc history of this
than during the activity of Z Aden trlrr -"^" 0 * ot P° litic ‘H aff airs
the principles enunciated by Colonel MermvetheV w^e obsmeA* 611 ’ and WhUe
made^n 1 the^^^Qll^^'since'the^oMt ' 8 ^! 11 ^ 01 '^^ Adei1 tro 0P were
a less liberal discretion in regard to the conduct 0 f WnWr^ be fi a 7 es , ted witl1
been a gradual relapse to lL £^0^^^ ^ ^"tim 3
t^sulefsthifontmt of^r?^ 11 ° f ? ^ P 0li ^ is esS n fon^To
tne suoce ? stul conduct of political affairs in the hinterland itself but ak< t„
the welfare of the main setttlement of Aden Whether we i;!e ; + ? to
shall sooner or later be forced to adopt such a policy W0
16. It is difficult for Government to realise the intense interest with which
our present policy is being observed in the hinterland of this Protec orale or
vhe actual effect of such events as the long immunity of the murderer of the late
Captain Warneford, and also of the petty tribe which so insolently robbed His
Majesty’s mail last spring. * *uuueu ms
The Abdali Sultan has more than once asked me why we do not punish
offenders, and nas offered pointed remarks on the manner in which we treat
well and iU-behaved alike. He has protested his inability to effectively punish
the Subehis without our assistance, and has more than once asked me to support
mm^with the Aden troop, on the ground that he is acting, or desires to act, in
the interest of Government. I have refrained from acceding to his request as
I am aware that proposals of this nature are not likely to he welcomed by His
Majesty’s Government at the present time, but such assistance cannot be in
definitely postponed, and the result of withholding it may be seen in the
abortive expedition described in paragraph 10 above.
17. The tribesmen and their Chiefs of course see that, where formerly
prompt action would have been taken by the Aden troop, either with or with*
out the co-operation of friendly neighbours, there is now delay and of late
practically no action at all. And so long as 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. continues
unable to exercise his own immediate discretion in regard to the measures
which are needed to repress petty cases of disorder that from time to time arise,
and for the present must continue to arise, there is little doubt that there will
certainly be no decrease in the number of these unpleasent incidents.
18. I would here state that the area affected by the above remarks is
limited, and there are portions of this Protectorate where any sort of interven
tion continues at present quite unnecessary. The area affected however is more
considerable than what is known on the Somali Coast as the ten-mile limit, and
includes the greater part of the western portion of the Protectorate which is
traversed by the main trade routes entering Aden from Ottoman territories. To
the north and east there is no present necessity for intervention. The Padthli
Sultan, who was formerly our most tiresome enemy, is now a peaceable neigh
bour, and though disputes between him and the Lower Yaffai may again arise
to give cause to some unrest, it is not probable that this will be of a nature to
seriously affect Aden.
3