Coll 6/7(1) 'The Yemen: Relations between H.M.G. and the Imam.' [‎142r] (294/782)

(p)l.
“ Interview frith £r« Carl Batl^gons on the 2Cth October
1931* (The oircuinatancea of this gentlemen * s visit to the
yscien ere described in paragraphs 1400 1 1493 f 1516, 1522 f
1561, end 1645 of the Political Intalllgenoe Suciiarv)#
Dr# Rathgene arrived fren Kodeidah en the 28th October,
and 2 heard of his presence in aden just in tine to have a sfc<
conversation vrith hiii on the subject of the Veuen generally,
before his departure for Germany on the nail on that day#
(a) Dr* Bathgens had had a nunber of conversations with
Bagheb Bey and several v/ith the Ic^a on this particular
subject* hilo his last conversation vrith the haan in this
connection had been in about nid-.'iurpast, he vras definitely
of the opinion that the Asir incidents of that nonth had
not been the direct cause of the 2tan f 6 chants of attitude
as illustrated by the nev; draft terns that he had submitted
to the Resident on the 2nd of September* Dr* Rathgens
gaid that the Imam was exceedingly anxious to enter into
treaty relations v/ith H*II*G*, for the tvro main purposes of the
occr.‘ercial and economic advantage of the Ya en, anu of the
prestige that a treaty with H*i,;*G* would give the Inai:i in the
eyes ,y f Arabia and the vrorld* In respect of the former reason
the Irian realised that the Russians were active in the Ya:;en
merely for vrhat they could nalce out of the country, and had no
intention of concerning themselves with its economic developed
8J& as a race the Russians v r ere dislilr.ad and distrusted* On
the other hand the Italian Treaty was now a dead letter,
the German treaty had broken Gc n on the point of capitulations
the Turkish treaty was admittedly merely political, and the ^
3fciam felt that his only present hope for the development sno
economic provinces of the Yew.en lay dn a treaty v/ith H*ii*G* In
Trans-nJordan were all in very close political relations
with H#iI*G# But while the imam had these advantages his
mind in his desire for a treaty v/ith H*h*G* he was det sit lined
for reasons of his own prestige net to give specific recognitic
to the ji^en Protectorats ms such* He had, however, assureu
Dr* Rathgens on more than one occasion that he woulu never
interfere with the "Aden Protectorate" or v/ith the Chieis or
tribesmen inhabiting it, and his one essential oDjoct was that
his claim to ultimate suzerainty over the Pro tector ate as^an
integral part of the Yemen id bo
recognised, to ensure that no territories *nthe
Protectorate" should ever be alienatea by H#ii*G* or ever hanoed
over to any Power but the Government of the Yemen*
fb) As to Basheb Bey^ participation in the present draft
by the Imam, Dr# Rathgens said that while Bagheb Bey haa usea
and was still using his influence vrith the Imam xor a
pecMieillation vrtth that influence v/ae fast uanin^* In
illustration of this Dr, Bathgene aescrihed hor, rocentl/,
Bagheb Bey had married a local Arab lauy ax£ ? h ®W am
divorced her* Seif al Islam Xhied who seme t ^ ;: « f® A ^* h ®? nunto
oarriad tha daughter of Ragheb Bey in
alrsost to abduction, had signified, his displeasure at Baghel Bej
action by imediately divorcing the laay (Sgheb Bey s ^Shter).
lately the Inaa had put Bagheb Bey to sooething li-e a public
affront by presenting to bin a black ^rcflianwhoo Bagheb Bey
could not refuse but loathed to look at* *b°^ t R a ^S b v?!“
ralations v.’ith the Princes are as b®. as they ca n ba andhis
Influence vrith the loan nov: counts ior little, apoort. n^ t
Dr# Bathgens, Raghob 3ey is s broken, aisappoinvec, one
tragically wea^ old man#