'Aden Policy' [‎184r] (1/8)

€ONFIDENTIAL.
1906.
This document is the property of the Secretary of State for India.
Aden Policy.
Notes by Sir W. Lee-Warner and Sir Hugh Barnes on Govern
ment of India’s Letter, No. 119, dated 9th August 1906
(Pol. No. 1455/06).
1. The predominant issues seem to be—
1st. Has the policy advocated by the Government of India and
condemned by His Majesty’s Government led to an increase of
troops at Aden; and must it continue to require this ?
2nd. Has it, and must it lead to increased and increasing inter
ference in the Hinterland ?
3rd. Is the retention of a Hill Sanatorium essential for the health of
the indispensable garrison of Aden ?
4th. Is the extension of railways politically or commercially
desirable ?
I. and II. may be considered together.
2. The Government of India show conclusively that their policy will
require a larger garrison than Aden required during the last century.
The demarcation “ led to the despatch of the remainder of the British
battalion and an extra native infantry regiment to Aden ” paragraph 10.
These troops owing to the troubles in the Yemen have been located at
D’thala.” The Government of India have never shown how those distant
and chronic troubles made this location necessary, and the argument if
admitted would lead to still further increases; for the religious conflict
there is permanent.
There are other reasons assigned for their permanent retention there;
our protectorate treaty is said to require their presence, since “ our vacation
of D’thala would result in the Amir leaving the district ” and taking refuge
in Aden “ as his position would become untenable.” Why untenable ? ISot
only because of the Turks, but as General De Brath writes paragraph 6. i.,
.. the moral support” of our troops “will in time overcome the reluctance
(of the tribesmen) to accept the Amirs suzerainty. So, forget ul of
Afghanistan, we are to employ British troops to coerce the Amirs
"^Worse than this, there is a wider circle of responsibilities which the
presence of our troops is creating now after 67 years of peaceful lio d o
Aden In the country of the Yafai, and the confederacy of Juban, Nawa,
ll Dabiani, ” Turkish ascendency would follow on Turkish intrigue if we
withdraw.
A
S. 2(3.