File 600/1905 Pt 4 'Aden Hinterland: Proposed Treaties with the Sultans of Beda and Audali; Treaty with Beda held in abeyance' [‎199r] (29/158)

'2637 j
I Si 2 1
No. 74 of 1912.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT.
SECRET.
External.
To
The Most Hon’ble the MARQUIS of CREWE, R.G.,
His Majesty's Secretary of State for India.
Simla, the 20th June 1912.
My Lord Marquis,
We have the honour to address Your Lordship on the subject of
Protectorate Treaties with the Beda and Audali Sultans.
2. The question of a treaty with Beda was first raised in 1905, when it was
anticipated that, in the absence of an agreement with the Sultan, the Turks
might claim his territory and thereby indefinitely delay the Aden Boundary
Commission, in a most barren and difficult country, from continuing the
demarcation of the North-East Frontier of the Protectorate. We, therefore,
sanctioned the conclusion of a treaty with the Sultan, but he was dilatory in
the matter, and, eventually, in 1906, the Resident at Aden was instructed
that, if negotiations with the Sultan were not successful, he was not to move
further in the matter, hut was to leave the initiative to the Sultan.
3. Meanwhile, a despatch * was received from Your Lordship’s predeces
sor enunciating the policy to he followed
• No. 20 (Secret), dated the 4th May 1906. ^ ^ ^ Hinterland( under
which the multiplication of treaties with the tribes was deprecated, and further
attempts to conclude fresh treaties, without previous reference to His Majesty's
Secretary of State, was prohibited. In a subsequent telegram, dated the 19th
(f June 1906, Lord Morley specially referred to the proposed Beda treaty, and
directed that the Resident should adopt an attitude towards all Sheikhs which
would make it unnecessary to conclude a treaty unless the Sheikhs themselves
insisted on it in fulfilment of pledges already given to them.
4. In 1909, the Sultan of Beda intimated his readiness to proceed to
Aden for the purpose of concluding a treaty. In view, however, of Lord
Morley’s instructions, the Resident was directed to abstain from entering into
further negotiations, and to confine his intercourse with the Sultan to the /
maintenance of as cordial relations as possible. In 1911, the Resident at Aden, lO^jj
who has consistently advocated the conclusion of a treaty with Beda, again
submitted proposals on the subject to the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , and pointed
out that an agreement with the Audali Sultan was equally desirable.
5. The Bombay Government saw no particular objection to the Resident s
proposal, and recognised that the proposed treaties might be advantageous.
In view, however, of the policy of His Majesty’s Government, they decided not
to support the proposal. They have now reconsidered their decision, and we