File 3939/1926 Pt 3 'Publications: Revision of Aitchison's Treaties: Aden and Arabia Sections.' [‎28r] (49/410)

ADEN—TJie Abdali.
*3
Aden, after two months, but stipulating that his authority over his
people in Aden should be maintained after the cession. To the con
tinuance of the Sultan’s jurisdiction the British Agent objected. The
Sultan replied that he was willing to abide by the terms first offered;
but, if these were not accepted, his letter of the 22nd January should
be returned to him. Negotiations were at this stage when a plot was
laid by Ahmad, the Sultan’s son, to seize the Agent and rob him of
his papers, and delivery of the property stolen from the wreck of the
Deina Dowlut was also refused. Preparations were therefore made
to coerce the Sultan. On the 19th January 1839 Aden was bombarded
and taken, and the Sultan and his family fled to Lahej. On the 2nd
February peace was made (No. Ill) in the Sultan’s name by his son-in-
law, and on the 18th June the Sultan himself signed a Bond (No. IV),
engaging to maintain peace and friendship with the British Government,
who agreed to pay him and his heirs 6,500 dollars a year, and likewise
. to pay the stipends which the Sultan was bound to give to the Fadthli,
Yafai, Haushabi and Amiii tribes. Peace, however, was soon after
broken by an unsuccessful attempt made by Sultan Mohsin in Novem
ber 1839 to retake Aden, and the payments w^ere therefore stopped. A
- second attack made in May 1840 was also unsuccessful, and the repulse
of a third attack in July of the same year completely disheartened the
Arabs for a time. In 1843 Sultan Mohsin came to Aden and sued for
peace. An Engagement (No. Y) was made on the 11th February 1843,
which the British Government considered in the light of an agreement
to be observed between the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and the Sultan, but not of
a treaty to be formally ratified. In February 1844, a monthly stipend
of 541 dollars was restored to the Sultan with a year’s arrears and,
before this was paid, another Agreement (No. VI) was taken from him,
binding him faithfully to observe his. engagements.
Sultan Mohsin died on the 30th November 1847, leaving nine sons.
He was succeeded by his eldest son, Ahmad, who died on the 18th
January 1849, when his next brother, Alikin Mohsin, succeeded. Shortly
after his accession to power, a Treaty (No. ^ II) of peace, friendship
and commerce, vdiich w r as under negotiation with his predebessoi, was
concluded w r ith him. Among its other provisions, this tieaty stipulated
for the restoration of the monthly stipend which had been stopped id
consequence of the share taken by the late Chief, Sultan Mohsin, in
an attack on Aden in August 1846.
Relations with the new’ Chief remained on a fairly satisfactory footing
till 1857, w'hen, taking umbrage at some fancied wrongs, he entered
upon a course of open hostility to the British Government. He was com-
in the sequel of the letter the Sultan desired that the negotiations should.be
broken off if his jurisdiction in Aden were not admitted : and the bargain, owing
to the subsequent course of events, was never concluded. The title of the Bntibh
Government to Aden rests exclusively on conquest,.and not on purchase.