File 600/1905 Pt 1 'Aden Hinterland: Treaty with Dthala' [‎388r] (37/174)

7
asa Jir!4
^ ijj —'
No. 5187, dated the 27th August 1905.
irom—Colonel R, I. Scallon, c 4 b., c.i.e., d.s.o., Acting 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. , Aden;
r ^ 0 “““ r ^k® Honourable Mr. S. W. Edgeeley, c.i.e., Chief Secretary to Government,
Political Department, Bombay.
i EEteitrf
^ Po’iiaj
resaiis,
nea d Inin
it Gram*!:
per ie
by Dp:
Biitsfortii!
sndlii
rjtfifiii*
fr id lit
'Horn
ignsaij $
In paragraph 6 of his Secret Despatch No. 45 of the 23rd September 1904,
the Secretary of State requests that at the expiration of a year a report may he
submitted as to the necessity of maintaining a Political Officer with an escort
at D’thala.
2. I have the honour to forward a memorandum on this subject drawn
up by Captain H. P. Jacob, now at D’thala as Political Officer.
3. Captain Jacob urges that the raison d’etre for our presence is to afford
moral support to the Amir at D’thala and to keep in touch with the Yafai.
4. To this I would add that it is also to maintain peace on and within our
own borders.
5. This can in my opinion be only now effected by retaining at D’thala
an officer whose advice and^ guidance will enable the Amir of D’thala to
discharge the “ territorial and international responsibilities vis-a-vis the Turks”
which we have incurred by the recent demarcation of the Frontier.
6. I am moreover convinced that were the Political Officer to he
withdrawn from D’thala before the Amir has thoroughly established his position
over the Kotaibai and the Sha’iri tribes a condition of affairs would arise which
would entail the expenditure of much money and of many lives to subsequently
rectify, and would be a serious blow to our prestige.
7. I have recently visited D’thala and although a great improvement is
apparent in the relations between the Amir and his people, still it is evident
that amongst those sections which have only recently been restored to his
authority the Amir is not yet popular. I agree w T ith Captain Jacob that a
reconciliation can be looked forward to, but it must be a matter of time and to
a great extent the work of a Political Officer personally known to and trusted
by both parties.
8. Much good work has been done and much more can easily be effected
in tbe near future if an influence for good is continued to be felt, to the direct
advantage to the Chief and people and indirectly to our own benefit.
9. The area of land under cultivation has recently increased. The roads
are much safer than they were. A demand has arisen, mainly owing to our
presence in the country, for goods with which the people were before un
acquainted or which they were unable to procure.
10. A Railway from Aden to Nobat Dakim at the foot of the hills is
under consideration. A road from Nobat Dakim to D’thala will shortly be
commenced, which will become the main caravan route for trade from the
Yafai country and South Yemen through D’thala to Aden, and will probably
result in old roads being improved, and new tracks being developed throughout
the country. I hope that a Sanatarium for the benefit of the Aden Garrison
will soon be established in the vicinity of D’thala. i ;
11. Captain Jacob has written “ commerce on free and secure lines will
tend more than anything else to ensure the prosperity of the Hinterland.” It
will further tend to peace as it always has done elsewhere in the world.
12. But commerce cannot be thoroughly developed nor the peace of the
country ensured until we have established friendly intercourse with all the
tribes under our protection, some of whom from want of real . knowledge still
regard us with suspicion, if not actual animosity.
13. As the influence of the Political Officer spreads these doubts will be
removed: in a few years we may hope that our Protectorate will be as safe as
Burma as now become.
14. Captain Jacob has referred to an escort for the Political Officer.
15. So long as there are troops at D’thala it will be unnecessary to make
special arrangements in this connection. Even if the troops now at D’thala i
Pol 992