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File 600/1905 Pt 2 'Aden Hinterland: Future Policy' [‎362r] (211/226)

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The record is made up of 1 item (113 folios). It was created in 11 Dec 1905-5 Oct 1906. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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of the kind oa the coast might not infrequently bo of service to the Resident
“\ sc ° n * u< ?. u9 . W ° rk - ' But . th0 . e , 08t of establishing and maintaining an
efficient patrol is by no means inconsiderable, and I am to point out that there
is no doubt that the flank of any such arrangements could easily be turned
Arms are already landed in some quantities southward of Mokha, at Kadduha
and probably at Debad as pointed out in the papers received with Foreign
Department No 46-E.B. of the 5th January 1900.- A glance at the map will
show bow little difference it would make to the trade which is said to go on if
arms were landed here and then passed into the Protectorate by land. Any
proposal to efficiently guard the land frontier of our Protectorate is, of course
entirely out of the question. Therefore the establishment of a patrol to the
west ot Aden is a measure which can only be very partially successful, and the
expenditure which it would involve is, therefore, relatively considerable His
Excellency the Governor in Council is farther of opinion, as will be seen below,
that a considerably less expenditure than the money which, 1 steamer and 3 dhows
would cost (probably not less than Its. 75,000 per annum, with an initial
expenditure of not less than two lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees ), if used in another direction, would
produce at least equal results.
10. As regards the further suggestion of the establishment of posts on
shore, I am to invite attention to my hio. 1801, dated the 5th March 1906, in which
it has been suggested in connection with certain offences by the sub-tribes of the
Subaihi that a post should be established at Ras-al-Arrak, at any rate temporarily,
on other grounds. That might be maintained for such time as the Government
of India may see fit and possibly permanently with a view to secure the internal
order of the Protectorate. So long as it is maintained it will, no doubt, be the
most convenient centre for any system of patrol which it may be decided to
try. It is further suggested in the Resident’s letters that posts might be
established on the littoral to the east of Aden. His Excellency the Governor in
Council dots not at present recommend that course. It is alleged that all
the tribes, not excluding the Sultan of Lahej himself, are quite willing to
engage in this trade, that the profits are considerable and that the arms are
run across from ports on the littoral on the west of Aden to ports on the
east and thence shipped to the Italian Protectorate in Somaliland, and
thus evade our port regulations at Aden and such watch as we are at
present able to keep on the proceedings of boats which trade with Jibouti. The
evidence in favour of this scheme of trade is not very strong, but it is no doubt
probable that arms like other goods are passed from our eastern ports to
Somaliland. If, however, an effective patrol or other means can be taken to the
west of Aden to stop the trade at that point, it would seem to be unnecessary,
even in the interests of the Somaliland Protectorate, to attempt to control, the
eastern ports, and it is certainly unnecessary to do so in the interests of the
Aden Hinterland itself.
11. I am, therefore, to pass on to the last matter of suggestion which His
Excellency the Governor in Council has to consider. At present it seems to be
clear that the tribes have at least the reputation of being quite willing to engage
in what is to them a profitable business, not even excluding the Sultan of Laliej.
It is also certain that the leading characteristic of the Sultan is a love of money,
and that he has done little in our interest, except words, since receipt of the
orders of the Government of India in their No. 516-ft. A., dated the 7th March
1902. One possible policy is to endeavour to convert the Sultan from that
attitude, so far as it exists, into one of whole-hearted co-operation with us in this
matter. In my letter No. 1801, dated the 5th March 1906,1 have been instructed
to place before the Government of India proposals that the policy of working
through the Sultan should be consistently and fully utilized for the control of the
Subaihi tribes. I am now to suggest that if that policy be sufficiently liberally
and consistently adopted to secure his active co-operation with us in the
suppression of the importation of arms from Jibouti into the Protectorate,
it would probably be the most effectual measure that could be taken for
that purpose, and though it no doubt means liberal recurring expenditure on
the Sultan, yet I am to submit that tnis policy would almost certainly not
cost so much as the suggested arrangements for patrolling the coast, for
an establishment of outposts, and other repressive and disciplinary measures

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Content

Part 2 of the file relates to future policy questions, in particular Britain's presence in the Dthala [al-Ḍāli‘] (sometimes written as Dthali) region.

The correspondents include:

The correspondence discusses several matters relating to British policy in the Aden hinterland, including:

  • the murder of a postal runner near Sheikh Othman;
  • the deployment of a Political Officer at Dthala;
  • the withdrawal of all British troops and officers from Dthala;
  • arms traffic in the hinterland;
  • an extension of the railway into the hinterland.

The discussion is framed by the wider imperial policy of non-interference.

Folio 369 is a map entitled 'The Tribes and New Boundary of the Aden Protectorate'.

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1 item (113 folios)
Written in
English in Latin script
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File 600/1905 Pt 2 'Aden Hinterland: Future Policy' [‎362r] (211/226), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/74/2, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100034189577.0x000081> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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