'Abstract of Correspondence and Memorandum respecting the Yemen' [‎70r] (21/24)

Considering these facts, it appears that, in 1828,
Aden was dealt with as being out of the do
minions of the Imaum. That the Imaum did not
protest against a Treaty concluded with its Ruler
without his sanction, and that the Ruler of Aden
then considered himself equally free to dispose of a
portion of his territory to the British or to the
Turkish Government. In other words, the Ruler of
Aden was de facto independent of both the Imaum
and the Turkish Empire.
It does not appear that since the cession of Aden
to the British Government any protest has been made
by the Imaum against that cession ; at all events not
at the time when he proposed to send a nephew of
his as an Ambassador to Captain Haines, at Aden,
for the purpose of negotiating a Treaty of Peace and
Friendship with the British Government.
The object of the above remarks has been to prove
—1st, that the Turkish Sovereignty over the Yemen,
if it ever existed de jure, has, at all events, fallen
Into desuetude now for two centuries; 2ndly, tha£
the town of Mocha properly belongs to the Jmaum
of Sennaa • and 3rdly, that at the time when Aden
wa s ceded to the British Government its Sultan was
de facto independent of the Imaum of Senri«a.
A Treaty between the British Government and the
l mau m of Sennaa, founded on these principles, would
seem to offer some advantages. The Imaum should
be called upon therein to recognize the cession of
Aden to the British Government, and thus the
chance of any future objection on the part of the
Imaums of Sennaa would be obviated. The Imaum
should also bind himself to secure free intercourse
between Aden and the country in the interior, thus
allowing to Aden, if not the exclusive traffic with
the rich coffee districts of the interior, at least a fair
competition with Mocha. On his side the Imaum
miobt call upon the British Government to aid him
i„ the recovery of Mocha and the other towns which
have been taken from him by Ibrahim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , and
which are now in the possession of Sheriff Hoossem;
and this would bring about the removal, now tor
some time desired by Her Majesty’s Government, of
this individual who has shown himself so hostile to
British interests.
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