File 600/1905 Pt 2 'Aden Hinterland: Future Policy' [‎284r] (55/226)

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matter will be reported to you in due course, and we need not do more here
than remark that, if the Turks do take steps to carry out their proiect of
constructing a railway from Hodeida or Mocha to Taiz with the assistance of
iomgn engineers and capitalists, some improvements in communications with
the Hinterland will probably be necessary, unless Aden is to lose the whole of
the inland trade and to sacrifice her strategical security on the landward side.
. 0n the subject of the general control of the tribes, the late Resident
inclined to direct dealings with the smaller Sheikhs and a possible extension
of the levy system to watch the demarcated frontier. The Bombay Govern
ment on the other hand, as is shown in paragraph 9 of their letter of the 13th
July, which forms an enclosure of this despatch, favour a system of granting
subsidies to the important Chiefs. ^ On the merits of these alternative policies
we had not yet arrived at a decision. The controversy has cropped up in
various portions of the Indian land frontier: each case can only be decided
on its merits: and the matter must now await the final settlement of the
main question of policy. We would only indicate that, if the proposals of
the Bombay Government are adopted and the Chiefs are able to hold their own,
there may be a risk of serious collisions between the forces of the subsidised
Chiefs and the Turkish troops, which it would be impossible to ignore, unless
the Chief, as might easily happen at D’thala, came to terms with the Turks
with the result that the objects of the demarcation of the frontier would be
entirely frustrated. At the same time we venture to doubt if any reasonable
subsidy would enable either of the Chiefs or at any rate the Amir of D’thala
to hold his own either against the tribes or the Turks, for such success as has
hitherto attended the policy of consolidating the waning authority of the Amir
of D’thala has been mainly due to the moral and material support which is
afforded to him by the presence of our 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. and the British force at
that place.
6. His Majesty’s Government deprecate the despatch of postal runners or
agents into the interior, and probably have in view the unfortunate case of the
postal runner who was recently murdered as he was leaving Aden for the
Hinterland. The maintenance of a political establishment, and a military force
at D thala no doubt necessitates the up-keep of communications, and the
frequent passage^ of posts and supplies. The recent outrage, however, occurred
not in tribal territory, but within the limits of British administration; and, even
if our post were withdrawn from D’thala at once, it would be impracticable to
avoid the need for maintaining communications with the Sultan of Lahej, and
other Chiefs of the Hinterland; if we did so, it would create the impression
among our proteges that we had determined to abandon them to the aggression
of the turbulent trans-frontier tribes under nominal Turkish rule. We desire
to emphasise strongly the total loss of confidence in our will or capacity to
protect them which must follow such a belief and the disastrous effect which
this would necessarily have not only on our relations with the tribes themselves,
but also on our dealings with the local Turkish officials.
7. We have noted the opinion that any protest against Turkish aggression
should be by way of action at Constantinople, and recognise fully that in the
ultimate resort this is the only means of bringing pressure to bear upon the
Porte. At the same time we desire to draw attention to the fact that the
relations of our 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. at D’thala with the local Turkish officials at
Kataba have been most cordial and friendly. He has recently obtained the pay
ment of the sum of £400 due to the Amir of D’thala for damages caused during
the forcible occupation of his villages, and he has been able to secure a friendly
settlement of frontier cases which might otherwise have led to serious trouble,
besides taking direct action through the tribes, which promises to be successful*
for the restoration of damaged and destroyed boundary pillars. But for his
presence at D’thala and the influence that he there exerts, these objects could
not have been attained without difficult negotiations at Constantinople, which,
in view of the habitual procrastination of the Porte, might have involved
serious measures. We would, therefore, deprecate the entire stoppage of such
friendly relations with the local Turkish officials.