File 600/1905 Pt 1 'Aden Hinterland: Treaty with Dthala' [‎456r] (173/174)

PEE SI A AND ARABIA
(Aden.)
[August 17.]
SlCTION 1,
CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 1.
N. 0 Conor lo the Marquess of l.ansdowne. — (Received August 17.)
(No. 646.)
Mv Lord, ^ ^ Therapia, August 11, 1904.
I INCLOSE herewith to your Lordship a Memorandum from Mr. Lamb, reporting-
a telegram received by the Sublime Porte from the Turkish Commission for the delimi
tation of the Aden frontier.
I have instructed Mr. Lamb to reply that the places mentioned by the Commis
sioners are on the British side of the line running from Lakmat-es-Shub to the desert,
and cannot, therefore, be a subject for contestation.
At the same time I have prepared a Memorandum, of which a copy is likewise
inclosed, which Mr. Lamb is to read to the Under-Secretary of State and leave him
a copy if desired, but to explain to his Excellency that my proposals are subject
to your Lordship’s final assent and approval, and are made solely with a view to
bringing these prolonged negotiations to a speedy and amicable conclusion.
I venture again to remark that, to my knowledge, the Ottoman Government have
never drawn a distinction between the Upper and Lower Yaffai or Aulaki, nor
questioned the oft-repeated assertion that these tribes belonged to the nine cantons,
which are considered to be under British protection. I am therefore unwilling myself
to seem to throw doubt on this point by making a distinction between the upper and
lower divisions, and I consider our interests are amply safeguarded by the request that
the Porte shall recognize that the canton of the Yaffai and Aulaki, with their depen
dencies and sub-divisions, as also all tribes to the east of the line going from Lakmat-
es-Shub to the desert, are British. This line includes nearly the whole of the Rubeatein
and the whole of the Dhabiani country, and leaves us free to act as we please with
regard to Beda, which also is on the British side of the north-east frontier-line. It would
be, I consider, very imprudent to raise a discussion in connection with the Imperial
Irade of February 190N which I have always regarded as a very favourable solution of
a complicated question.
I cannot say whether the Porte will accept my proposals. I think they will give
the lien over the Subaihi district which we desire, but they may insist upon retaining
Turbat Abul Azrar on account of the holy shrine, and upon the line running from
Kuwah to Jebel Hosisi instead of to Sheikh Mirad ; but if our reserves are accepted to
the country south-east of Akama Ivuddam, I venture to think it is rekffively of little
importance whether the frontier ends at Jebel Hosisi or Sheikh Mirad. I shall, of Course,
make the best terms I can, but I should be grateful to your Lordship if you will let me
know by telegraph whether you approve of the proposals contained in my communication
to the Sublime Porte.
I have, &c.
(Signed) N. E. O’CONOR.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Memorandum by Mr. Lamb.
^ TKE Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communicated tome
todav a Vizierial letter of the 7th instant, covering a telegram from the Acting
Yali * of Yemen dated the 21st ultimo (3rd instant), which had been transmitted
through the Ministry of the Interior. This telegram was in the following terms
The British Commissioner came to the Frontier Commission and stated that, m
accordance with the instructions of his Government, he would be unable to sign the
Ao-rpernent as to the Bab-ul-Mandeb-Subaihi section of the frontier so long as it was
not agreed and confirmed that Awalik (i.e., the Aulaki), which the British Government
had announced to the Porte thirty years ago was part of the nine cantons, was m fact
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