ملف رقم ٦٠٠ لسنة ١٩٠٥ الجزء ٣ "المنطقة الداخلية لعدن: الوضع؛ انسحاب الوكيل السياسي من الضالع؛ معاهدات مع زعماء قبائل الحواشب والقُتيبي والعلوي" [و‎‎١‎٨‎٩] (٥٠٨/٣٧٣)

No. I486, dated the 11th March 1906.
From Major-General H. M. Mason, Political Resident, Aden,
To—The Chief Secretary to Government, Political Department, Bombay.
In conjunction with my letter No. 1481, dated 11th instant, embodying
iny proposals for the raising of local levies to ultimately replace the Aden Troop,
I would suggest that the Military authorities be approached with a view to the
retention of Captain Parsons’ services for a further term of one year beyond his
normal tenure which expires in June. Captain Parsons has an intimate know
ledge of the interior economy of the troop as at present constituted, and it
would be most advisable to have an officer of this experience in the winding up
of the affairs of the said troop. I only make this proposal on the assumption
that my i eas with reference to local levies meet with the favourable considera
tion of Government.
P. D. letter No. 2937, dated the 18th April 1906.
From—The Chief Secretary to Government, Bombay,
To—The Political Resident, Aden.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of General Mason’s letters No.
1481, dated the 11th March 1906, and No. 1485, of the same date, on the sub
ject of the policy to be adopted in future in regard to the Aden Troop and the
enrolment of levies.
2. I am to say that His Excellency the Governor in Council does not con
sider the time very opportune for the consideration of such changes. The
policy favoured by His Majesty’s Secretary of State is not one of activity in the
Hinterland, but one of allowing the greatest measure of independence to the
tribes consistent with our own interests and our obligations to the Turks.
3. There have been placed before Government proposals made by Captain
Hancock, proposals made by General Mason and proposals made by Major
Jacob. Both the former sets of proposals involve taking steps which it would
he very difficult to retrace, if the policy on which they are based should not be
approved, or should not give the results anticipated for it. But so far as regards
Major Jacob’s proposals, it is possible to test the proposals to some extent,
meeting the expenditure involved by way of presents from that officer’s discre
tionary grant to the tribes who supply the men. If it should appear to you
desirable to test his scheme before further reporting to Government, there will
be no objection to the establishment of one or gradually more posts in this way
in order to test the expectations on which the schemes are founded. The
expenditure involved in such experiment should of course be kept as low as pos
sible, and should he carried out in such a way as neither to alarm the susceptibi
lities of the tribes as to interference in the Hinterland, nor to weaken our pre
sent resources should the experiment not prove successful.
4. In these circumstances, His Excellency the Governor in Council does
not propose to take any measures to procure the extension of Captain Parsons
term of command with a view to winding up the affairs of the Aden Troop.
Proposals regarding the abolition of the Aden Troop and the employment of
tribal levies for safeguarding the trade routes to Aden.
No. 8419, dated the 9th June 1906.
From-MAJOR-GENEUAL E. DeBrath, C.B., C.I.E., Officiating Political Resident,
Aden,
To—The Chief Secretary to Government, Political Department, Bombay.
In reply to your letter No. 2937, dated 18th April 1908, regarding the
policy to he adopted in future as regards the Aden Troop and the enrolment of
tribal levies, I hare the honour to state that paragraph 2 of your letter, indi
cating the policy of His Majesty’s Secretary of State, has been noted for
guidance.