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'Military report on the Aden Protectorate' [106r] (216/332)
The record is made up of 1 volume (164 folios). It was created in 1915. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
197
* •
as sanguinary affairs, but enquiry shows that the casualties
seldom exceed two or three aiide. In fact, the object on these
occasions is to bring matters to an end without causing too
heavy losses which would only impede the ultimate adjust
ment of the dispute.
The Arab of the hills may be not inaptly compared to the
Pathan, though less formidable than, and without the dash of ?
the latter. The conditions of life, their towers, which, in inter
tribal warfare, are, to all practical purposes, forts, the continual
existence of feuds necessitating constant watchfulness
and practice in partisan warfare, all tend to produce much
the same result. Operations hitherto have all been directed
against isolated tribes, but should any cause such as a jehad
ever lead to anything like combination on a large scale, there is
little doubt that in view of the great natural difficulties of the
country, both as regards offensive tactics and the supplying
of a large force, operations would assume a very serious cha
racter. %
With regard to numbers, the estimates of the fighting
strength of the various tribes, rough as they are, are the only
guide that can be given, and on the political situation at any
given time, would depend the numbers from whom opposition
might be expected.
Reference has been made in a former chapter to the unsuit-
ability of the Arab temperament to regular military service.
There seems, however, no reason why he might not be utilised
and do good work in a more or less irregular capacity, if the
bonds of discipline were made as little irksome as possible.
The Arab has the following qualities as a fighting man :
keen sight and wiry active physique ; he is accustomed to a
very frugal diet. He has a natural aptitude for scouting,
skirmishing, etc., and is, as a rule, intelligent and quick to learn.
He is keen on marksmanship and with a little instruction
could be a very good shot. He is fond of a fight and if led by
men he trusts, would probably behave pluckily enough. On
the other hand he is excitable, quarrelsome, and very inde
pendent in spirit. Great tact would be required in dealing with
him ; he is fairly easily led, but hard to drive. Much would
depend on the careful selection of the men, more on that of the
native officers, who should be of suitable social position and
character, and still more on the British officer in charge,
About this item
- Content
Military report on Aden Protectorate by the General Staff India, dated 1915, and printed at the Government Monotype Press, Simla. The report's chapters cover:
History, including a general summary of the history the region from 529 A.D. to 1915; histories of the individual tribes ('Abdalī, 'Akrabī, 'Alawī, Amīr , 'Audalī, Upper Aulakī, Lower Aulakī, Fadhlī, Haushabi, Ka'atī, Kathīrī, Mahrī, Subaihī, Wahīdī, Upper Yafaī, Lower Yafaī); and the history of the Soqotra.
Geography, including a general description of the area, its mountains and rivers, and descriptions of Aden, Perim and Soqotra; and descriptions of the individual tribal areas, giving their boundaries, distances from towns and villages, and locations of fresh water; Climate and Health, including general information on the climate of the region and specific illnesses such as Malaria, information on the tribal area of Amīrī; tables showing average temperatures, sickness and death rates for European Soldiers in 1903, and observations on veterinary health.
Population, including a general description, the census for the Aden Protectorate taken in 1911, the population of Soqotra island, the populations of the various tribes, and statements showing the Subaīhī tribes in proximity to the Turkish border.
Resouces, including agriculture, supplies, commerce, industries, camels, horses, donkeys, cattle, sheep and goats, chickens and eggs, woods and trees; the resources of the Aden garrison; resources on the island of Perim; resources on the island of Soqotra; the resources of the various tribes, and a statement of the purchases made at Dhāla in summer 1903.
Military, including a general summary, armaments, fighting qualities and method of fighting; arrangements on the island of Perim and of the Soqotra people; approximate fighting strength of the principal tribes in the Aden protectorate; information concerning the town and Turkish frontier post at Ka'taba, including diagrams of the fort, a landscape sketch, and a sketch showing the position of Ka'taba with reference to Aden and British Territory.
Maritime, including the harbours and ancorages at Perim; Ras-ul-Ara; Bandar 'Imran; Bandar Fuqum; Khor Bīr Ahmad; Aden Harbour; Shuqra; Māqatīn-us-Saghīr; 'Irka' Ghubbat-ul-'Ain; Bālahāf; Bir 'Alī (Bandar Husn Ghurāb Shallow vessel with a projecting bow. ); Bandar Burūm; Mukalla; Shehr; Sharma Bay; Saihut; Qishn; Soqotra all with latitude and longitude co-ordinates given.
Administration, including a general summary of the various systems in use throughout the territory, the administration of the Aden Settlement, including Perim; and summaries of the administrative set-up of each of the Arab tribes
Communications, including details of the routes leading North and Northwest to the Turkish Frontier; Routes leading to the North; Routes in the Eastern portion of the protectorate; Amir of Dhāla's territory; Soqotra; Telegraphs and Signalling; Submarine cables; Wireless; Perim submarine cables
Appendix A is a list of the tribes, their rulers, stipends and salutes, Appendix B is a glossary of Arabic Terms, Appendix C is a list of tribal areas, their population and fighting force, and Appendix D is a bibliography.
At the rear of the volume is a pocket containing one map: Hunter's map of Arabia, which appears to have been added to the volume at a later date.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (164 folios)
- Arrangement
There is a detailed table of contents on folios 5-7, a comprehensive index to the report on folios 139-159, and a pocket containing the maps at the rear of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence consists of pencil numbers, enclosed in a circle, located in the top right hand corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. The sequence commences on the front cover, with number 1, and ends on the last of the two maps which are inserted at the back of the volume, with number 164.
The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence which uses roman numerals i-vii for the table of contents; commences at 1 on the first page of the report and concludes with 298 on the last page of the index.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/16/6
- Title
- 'Military report on the Aden Protectorate'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, back-i, 2r:115v, 117r:161v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence