Aden Delimitation: The History of the Question and the Present Situation as Regards the Territories of the Amir of Dthali [‎16v] (2/14)

11
During the present year, that is since demarcation was agreed to, the
Turks have established posts of regular troops at Mafari and at Sarir, the
latter being one of the Jabal Jahaf villages. The former was occupied soon
after the arrival of the British Commission, that is in February 1902, and
the latter a little later, in March.
Besides these posts, the Turks have established posts of Arab levies at
Itobat and other places, forming a cordon across the southern end of the
plateau.* The line runs in a general
* See para, -o ± o e. east and west direction, between Dthali
and Jaleli. Everything on their side of this line is treated by the Turks as
annexed territory.
All the places named, with the exception of Jaleli, are within the line
which His Majesty’s Government are so far prepared to adopt, [t is obvious
that these are encroachments, and should be evacuated. In my opinion, the
Turkish troops and officials should also be withdrawn from Jaieli, and from
every part of the Dthali plateau and tracts adjacent to it, before the
demarcation of this part of the frontier is commenced.
There have been no encroachments on the part of the Amiris. The Amirs
of Dthali have had, since 1880, sufficient occupation in ende ivouring to
rescue their own country from the clutches of the Turks, and have certainly
had no opportunity of extending their limits in any way which can be
considered encroachment on Turkish territory.
But it has no doubt happened that the wave of Turkish aggression
has at times gone forward and then again receded. Villages have paid
revenue to the Turks under compulsion, but have returned to the Amir when
the pressure was removed. Having regard to the peculiar views held bv the
Turks on the subject of their rights in Southern Arabia, I think it is possible
that the recovery by the Amir of his own villages may be regarded by them
as “ encroachment.” But that there should have been encroachment* in the
ordinary sense of the word, by the Amiris on the Turks, appears to me to be
absurd. I
Political,
1445a/01.
I should like to add a few words of personal explanation
It has struck me that Colonel Wahab’s statements and opinions have been
occasionally confused with my own. Colonel Wahab is His Majesty’s
Commissioner, and I was bound to forward his letters and telegrams.
Sometimes I have added a few remarks of my own, usually expressive of
concurrence. At others, when not altogether agreeing with his views, I
have transmitted the papers without remark. For instance, Colonel Wahab,
while freely admitting that the list of villages in his report of 1892 does not
in the least accord with the facts of the present day, and while placing the
responsibility ior that list, and the line marked in his tracing, on the “ Aden
Besidency,” would be glad to show that the information was fairly correct at
the time it was submitted. In other words, his view is that the Amir has
bettered his position since 1892. This is not impossible, hut I do not take,
and never have taken, this view. I believe, and I think Colonel Abud
agrees with me. that the line indicated in 1892 was practically the product
of Muhammad Saleh Jaffir’s ill will to the Amir, and that it should, if
possible, be altogether rejected.
Further, with regard to the Vote forwarded to the Government of
Bombay uith iny letter of 12th October 1901. This paper was a compilation
ot the information then existing in the office 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. . It was
viitten in September (before demarcation had been suggested by Lord
t Viceroy’s telegram, of 2nd October 1901 . CurzonH in connection with the question
(Political 1157/01). raised by the Government of India of
entering into treaty relations with the Chiefs of Bedar, Bahau, and the Upper
Yaffai and Upper Aulaki tribes. The Amiri country was brought in to
complete, as far as possible, the information regarding the tracts adjacent
to lurkish territory on which the Turks were pressing. Whatever is said
in my note regarding the boundary is clearly stated to he taken from
tie icpoits ot Hunter and Mahal). We had then no other sources of
information.