مطالبات سلطان لحج بعدن الصغرى [و‎‎٢‎٥‎٦] (١٨/١١)

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On the 9th the Sultan returned to hahej with eight of the principal
Akrabee Chieftains, and he has since been deeply engaged in paying the moun
taineers employed by him (a most troublesome undertaking). On the 12th, he
wrote to me saying be will do all be could to meet my wishes and would
inform fully of all particulars when affairs were decided and quiet.
The rest of the letter is on subjects unconnected with this.
Extract from a letter from Captain Haines, to the Secretary of the Secret Committee,—dated
Aden, January Vlth, 1851.
Intimates return to their homes of the mountaineers and mercenaries
employed by the Sultan of Lahej on the capture of Bir Ahmed, and that the
Sultan had not then decided upon what was to be done with respect to the
castle of Bir Ahmed and Kusab.
No. 150—981, dated Aden, the 30th June 1871.
From— Major-General C. W. Tremenheere, Political Resident at Aden.
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, Political Dept.
I have the honor to invite attention to Major-General Sir Edward. Russell’s
letter No. 158—976, dated 18th August 1870, and to express a hope that the
decision of the Government of India may be communicated at an early date
upon the following points :
\$t .—The compensation recommended to be granted to the Sultan of
Lahej as expressed in paragraph 8.
—The formal recognition by Government of the independence of the
Akrabee tribe, paragraphs 9 and 10.
2. The grounds upon which compensation to the amount of to $5,000 was
proposed are so distinctly stated in General Russell’s letter that it is unneces
sary for me to add anything further in support of the Sultan’s claims. I should
regret, however, if when any grant on this account may be made, the opportunity
should not be taken advantage of to inform the Sultan in the most explicit
terms that the Government of India recognizes the Akrabees as an independent
and friendly tribe.
3. Government is aware that formerly this tribe took a most active part
against us, and were always ready to join the Eoodthelees in cutting off our sup
plies, so long as we confined ourselves to writing threatening letters, they treated
us with contempt. Like the Eoodthelees, their behaviour has been unexception
able from the time we showed our strength, and from 1858 to the present time
they have been on the most friendly terms with the authorities at Aden. Their
relations with Lahej have borne a different character. The claim to suzerainty
which derived its support from the mistaken action of Captain Haines has
kept the two tribes in a state of alienation from each other, and the con
siderable sum which was paid to the Akrabee for Little Aden afforded the
Sultan of Lahej an excellent opportunity for putting forth his claim to the
territory. The claim made by him to the Huswah is another case in point.
4. The Sultan of Lahej avails himself of every opportunity to assert
his claim to the Akrabee territory. He did so in his interview with me on the
9th May last, as reported in paragraph 5 of my letter No. 104—754 of the
11th idem. He has done so in a letter received by me a few days ago (extracts
from a translation of which are appended), in which he also complains of the
delay on the part of Government in awarding him the compensation which
had been recommended by Sir Edward Russell.
5. In my letter No. 40—286, dated 23rd February 1871, paragraph 12, I
suggested to Government that a friendly letter of advice should be written to
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