Coll 6/61 'The Yemen: Relations between H.M.G. and the Imam.' [‎33r] (65/507)

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s THE ADEN PHOTECTOEATE.
"TLord LAMINGTON rose to ask His
Majesty’s Government for information as
to the affairs of the Aden Protectorate,
also as to our relations with the Imam
of the Yjemen subsequent to the signing
of the Treaty; and to move for Papers.
The noble Lord said: My Lords, for
several years I have from time to time
raised questions in regard to the Aden
Protectorate. Since the signing of the
Treaty, I really have had no information
as to what has taken place in Aden or
the hinterland, and I have, therefore,
put this Question down in order to
elicit information. I shall be glad to
know whether since the signing of the
Treaty the Audhali tribe, to which 1 have
repeatedly called your Lordships’ atten
tion, 'are free from all usurpation by the
Imam of the Yemen.
I have privately given notice to my
noble friend who I understand will reply
to this Question, that I should like to
know what jwill be the effect upon Aden
of Clause 28*7 of the Government of India
Bill, which removes Aden from the
jurisdiction of India altogether, I under
stand. In the past it has always been
a problem how Aden would get on
should India in its new state impose
heavy duties against the import of
salt from Aden. The salt business
in Aden is one of the greatest
resources of revenue for Aden itself.
There is another interesting point. I
understand that it is now believed that
the demand for Aden salt is so very
strong in India, particularly in Bengal,
that there will be still a veiy important
export of salt from Aden to India. In
the past the Government of India, the
Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , the War Office
and the Colonial Office have all had their
fingers in the pie.
I do not know whether it has been con
templated in this re-settlement of the ad
ministration that there should be a
separate Department dealing entirely with
the Arab-speaking people in that part of
the Near East. I will not go into detail
further than to say that to the North of
Iraq, down to Aden, on the east Persian
Gulf and west of the Egyptian Frontier
you find practically one set of people who
speak the same language, Arabic, and are
of one religious creed. It seems to me,
therefore, very desirable that there should
be a separate Department dealing en
tirely with these Arab-speaking States.
By that means you would be able to set
up a cadre of officials who could be posted
to that large area. At present each
Department which has dealings with any
of these Arab-speaking States has to find
some special official; there is no service
from which they can draw people who
know Arabic and have experience of the
area. I will not say more at the present
moment, but will content myself by put
ting the Question standing in my name.
The PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-
SL( RET ARY of STATE for the
COLONIES (The Earl of Plymouth) :
Mj Lords, your Lordships 'all know what
a very strong interest my noble friend
Y 1935 ] Protectorate 376
Lord Lamington has taken in the question
of Aden in the past and its relationship
with the King of the Yemen. I am there
fore very glad that I am in a position to
give him what I hope he will consider a
more satisfactory reply than I have been
able to give on some past occasions. A
Treaty of Friendship and Mutual Co
operation was signed with the King of the
Yemen on 11th February, 1934. This
Treaty was ratified on the 4th September
in the same year. The noble Lord will,
I am sure, have seen and read that
Treaty. Before the Treaty was signed the
King evacuated those parts of the Aden
Protectorate including the Audali Terri
tory which for some years previously he
had occupied. He returned the hostages
which he had held, and he agreed to lift
the embargo which had previously existed
upon trade between the Yemen and the
Aden Protectorate. Since the signature
of the Treaty relations with the King of
the Yemen have been cordial and are
better than they have been for a long time
past. A Frontier Officer was appointed
to the staff of the Aden Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. after
the signature of the Treaty and this
officer co-operates with the Yemeni
frontier officials, and questions of frontier
relations have been amicably adjusted in
this way. The Frontier Officer also pays
periodical visits to Sanaa and discusses
with the Yemeni officials there any ques
tions that need adjustment. Every effort
is being made to make the trade routes
in the Protectorate secure so that trade
between the tw'O countries may develop.
As regards the present working of the
administration in the Aden Protectorate,
the noble Lord will probably be aware
that there is no direct administration in
the Protectorate. The various Sultans
are in treaty relations with His Majesty’s
Government and the Political Officers on
the Staff of the Aden Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. maintain
contact with the Chiefs and tribes and
assist in the settlement of disputes. Com
munication with the outlying parts of the
Protectorate is becoming easier year by
year owing to the greater ease with which
the more distant areas can now be
reached by air. Efforts are also being
made to develop more progressive ideas
amongst the tribes. A college for the edu
cation of the sons of the Chiefs of the
Protectorate or their near relatives has
been established at Aden. Moreover, a
system which already exists of training
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379 Malta: Proposed [ 15 July
been freed from oppression by the Imam.
It is satisfactory to know that a college
is going to be started in Aden for
Chiefs’ sons coming from the Protec
torate. I only wish that some kind and
humane people would also start a hos
pital on the Isthmus there : it would have
a tremendous effect in drawing people
from the far interior to have medical
treatment. Even now, they sometimes
come from the Yemen right down to
Aden. It would have a most beneficial
effect, not only in doing good by giving
medical treatment, but also in maintain
ing satisfactory relations with various
tribes.
Referring to that other point about
having a special Department concerned
with the Arab-speaking people, I am glad
to hear that this co-ordinating body
between the Foreign Office and the
Colonial Office
The Earl of PLYMOUTH: All
Departments that may be concerned.
Lord LAMINGTON : It seems rather
anomalous—I have often drawn your
Lordships’ attention to it—that the
Colonial Office should be concerned with
a vast number of questions that arise
with foreign countries. Taking Palestine,
for example, I do not know whether the
Colonial Office deal with Saudi Arabia,
or whether that has been handed over to
the Foreign Office, but certainly Ibn
Saud objected very sti’ongly to having
anything to do with the Colonial Office.
He called himself an independent
monarch, and therefore wished to have 1
relations with the Foreign Office. I
should have thought that in the same port
there might be a cargo of officers who
could be posted anywhere in these great
Arab-speaking countries. It would be ,
worth anything to get one Department to
deal with that subject. It 1920 it was
proposed that the Foreign Office should
have a special Department to deal with
the matter, but for some reason or other
that fell through. I believe Lord Curzon
was, at one time, very strongly in favour
of the idea that the Foreign Office should
have the matter in hand. It does seem
anomalous that only in the case of Aden,
and, I suppose, of Palestine, the Colonial
Office should have its officers there. I
should have thought that it would have
been better for the whole administration
of our relations with foreign countries
had it been nlaced under one Department
of State, but it is very good news to hear
that there is a co-ordinating authority
now to meet together to deal with these
questions. I beg to withdraw my Motion.
Motion for Papers, by leave, with
drawn. '