File 600/1905 Pt 2 'Aden Hinterland: Future Policy' [‎317v] (122/226)

with them hy locating troops at a distance fiom
the fortmcatfon, of iden or by
readiness to resort to expeditions out of all 1
portion, whether immediate or mdl [^’
the occasions for them or to any cleai advantage
to he gained hy them.
q if as His Majesty’s Government have
decided,’the main purpose of the recent delimi
tation is achieved hy the tixmg o a ^
which Turkish troops or agents cannot advance,
I submit to your Excellency the following propo
sitions as well fitted to carry out our decision.
So far as the Turkish frontier is concerned it is
in the highest degree desirable that the importance
of trespasses across the line, which are neit ei
serious nor deliberate, should not be exaggerated
and, should a protest he required, it would natural y
be hy wav of action at Constantinople. ^ ^
the territory of British India and within a limited
area of the Protectorate similar to that formerly-
known on the Somali coast as the ten-mile
internal disturbances would call for interposition.
But bevond that line our Agent should be caretnl
to avoid everv step that might lead us into military
or political entanglements, without the express
sanction of the Secretary of State. railway to
Dthali and a cantonment or sanatorium there,
should he considered as outside the contemplation
of the Government. This being so, the large body
of troops now stationed at Dthali should he with
drawn, leaving only a sufficient escort for the
Political Officer so long as he may remain there.
4. The retention of a Political Officer at Dthali
Was originally provisional. In Septembei 190T
my Predecessor assented to the proposal of the
Government of India “as a temporary measure, to
“ retain a British officer and a small body ot troops
“ a t Dthali.” This assent he limited to one year,
requesting that after the expiry of that time he
should he informed as to the existence of “any
“ real necessity for maintaining the official and his
“ escort at Dthali.” In November 1905, however,
he accepted the reasons of the Government of
India for making it permanent. In view of the
change of circumstances which will be the result
of the present instructions, His Majesty’s Govern
ment are satisfied that the arrangement need not
be regarded as a permanent one, and that it will
be sufficient if 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. is permitted
to visit Dthali temporarily and for special purposes
as occasion may require. Bor the present I leave
it to your Excellency to decide when, after the
retirement of the troops, the Political Officer and
his escort should be withdrawn.
5. The despatch of postal runners or agents of
the British Government into the interior is to he
as much as possible avoided. Any project for
disarming the tribes in the nine cantons should be
dismissed from serious consideration. Punitive
expeditions for offences committed during the