File 600/1905 Pt 2 'Aden Hinterland: Future Policy' [‎359r] (205/226)

CRN 1001
V
Confidential.
Political Department.
Bombay Castio, oth March 1900.
From
The ITon’ble Sir STEYNING W. EDGERLEY, K.C.V.O., C.I.E.,
Chief Secretary to the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. ;
To
The SECRETARY to the GOVERNMENT oe INDIA,
Eoreign Department.
Sir,
I am directed to submit, for the orders of the Government of India, the
general question of policy in that portion of the Aden Hinterland which is in
the occupation of the Subaihi, the Abdali and Haushabi tribes.
2. Various correspondences have of late been submitted to the Govern
ment of India which show that a definite line of policy should be settled for
the guidance of the officers of the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. at Aden. In my letter No. 1511, ' \
dated the 24th February 1908, is submitted the last receipt on the subject of an
attack by certain of the Subaihi on the levies of the Sultan of Lahej at the /
post of Nobat Dakim. With my letter Nofl340, dated the 15th February 1906, '
papers regarding uneasiness caused by apprehended encroachments of the
Turkish Revenue Officials at A1 Doka were laid before the Government of
India. The correspondence regarding the murder of the late lamented Captain ^
Warneford at Am Rija has been from time to time submitted with letters leading
up to my No. 1620, dated the 27th February 1906. With my letter No;*L506,
dated the 23rd February 1908, the latest information as regards the murder of
a postal runner near Sheikh Othman on British territory has also been submitted.
With my letter No. 1428, dated the 20th February 1908, the latest report
containing suggestions by tbe Resident at Aden on the suoject ot the arms
traffic from Jibouti is before tbe Government of India. All these questions
have now been the subject of personal discussion with the Resident at Aden.
3. I am to refer to the last of these papers at the moment only to draw
attention to the fact that should there be a decision to endeavour to patrol the
coast with armed dhows and possibly with a small steamer, which is one of the
suggestions in the letter of the Resident on that subject, tne Attifi. poit of
Rascal-Arrab is the centre indicated for such operations.
4 Dealing with the papers regarding the murder of tbe postal runner,
I am to remind the Government of India that while the Boundary Commission
were at work in the Haushabi territory several cases of attacks by the Subaihi
on our followers near Nobat Dakim occurred, and eventually His Excellency
the Governor in Council recommended in my No. 8342, dated the 23rd December
1903, that punitive measures should be taken to punish these attacks on British
servants and subjects before the Boundary Commission entered Subaihi country.
Sanction to these proposals was given by the Government ot India, but before it
was possible to move in the matter the Boundary Commission were on the punt
of entering the Subaihi country and it became undesirable for any action to be
taken. It appears to His Excellency in Council that in accordance with the
principles then relied on, which, as shown in my No. olol, dated the 14th July
1902, are the traditional principles governing our relations with the hinter
land tribes, it is not possible to overlook the murder of this postal runner and