File 600/1905 Pt 6 'Aden Hinterland: Upper Yaffai; treaties with Sultan Kahtan and other Chiefs' [‎59r] (113/212)

No. 31 of 1905.
To
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. •
SECRET.
External.
The Right Hon’ble St. JOHN BROBRICK,
His Majesty’s Secretary of State for India.
*
Fort William, the 9th February 1905.
Sir,
With reference to your despatch No. 30 (Secret) of 15th July last, we
* No. 7818, dated the 19th December 1904, with have the llOUOUr to transmit tO yOU a
enclosure. copy of a letter* from the Government of
Bombay, enclosing, together with their observations thereon, a report from the
Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. at Aden, on the subject of our future relations with the tribes
in the Aden Hinterland.
The Bombay Government do not consider that it is practicable to adopt
either of the definite proposals put forward by you for discussion, viz., that
whether by the superior influence of the Sultan of Lahej, or by a clear under
standing with each separate tribe, the Government of India should induce
the tribes to come to an arrangement among themselves in the matter of
common duties, such as the protection of their trade routes and the settlement
of religious and inter-tribal disputes. They are also unable to propound any
definite scheme for revising our relations with the tribes in such a manner as
materially to diminish the chances of conflict and disturbance in the Hinterland.
They are in favour, however, of advantage being taken of every opportunity as
it occurs to treat the stipends of the Chiefs as a means of increasing our hold
upon them. We agree generally with this recommendation, provided that it
is clearly understood that increased subsidies involve on the part of the Chief
additional and definite obligations, such as have been imposed upon the Amir
of Dthala, by Article IX of the recent agreement; but would prefer to reserve
a final expression of our opinion until we have had experience of the practical
effect of the provisions of that Article.
Upon the larger question of our relations with the tribes, we most readily
assure His Majesty’s Government that there is no intention or desire on the
part of the Government of India to extend their obligations towards the Chiefs,
or to depart from the fundamental principles which have hitherto regulated
our connection with them. Recent events have tended to develop this connec
tion, and have unavoidably widened the sphere of our responsibilities. On the
other hand not the least valuable of their results should be the opportunity
now afforded to us of employing a means of conciliation hitherto untried in
the Aden Hinterland, but very familiar on other parts of the frontier of the
Indian Empire, namely, the personal influence of British Political Officers in