File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎325r] (658/834)

Mail mild Nadim were removed from Sanaa, there would be no
further difficulty in arriving at a settlement with the Imam,
whose Arab advisers are not all anti-British. Haj Lutf stated
that the Imam issues no documents of an anti-British nature:.
(See letter from Imam to Mohammed ibn Yahya el Ahdal,
p. 68 of this number.)
The Italian, Giuseppe Caprotti, who lived at Sanaa, has now
left and Haj Lutf heard that he intends to open a business at
Hodeidah. There are now no Europeans at Sanaa.
The Political Officer, Hodeidah, has received news that the
Imam notified all Arabs that any Turkish Government stores
which they may purchase will be confiscated by him.
Ghalib Bey is said to have sold 1,200 spare rifles to Arabs
at 25 dollars each and to have appropriated a quarter of the
proceeds as a set off against his arrears of salary.
Reports have come to hand that the Imam sent delegates to
the seyyids and sheikhs of the Tihamah with a view to inducing
them to accept his domination, but the visits appear to have been
fruitless, and the Zaraniqs, Abus, Quhrah and other sheikhs
applied to 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. , Aden, for assistance against the
Imam, which was declined, though a gift of 10,000 rounds of
ammunition for the Zaraniqs and Abus was approved for
defensive purposes only, our policy being to discouiage fighting.
The Imam appears to be using propaganda and other pacific
means to extend his rule over the Tihamah and Lower Yemen,
but there is no indication of his employing force against the tribes
of these districts. He has occupied Qatabah on the border of
our Protectorate, but, in spite of constant rumours of a Zeidi
advance on Dhala, he has so far abstained from interfering with
places within our Protectorate boundary. Farther north he is
met by the influence of the Idrisi, who occupies Zeidiyah.
Writing to the Idrisi on April i last, 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. ,
Aden, expressed pleasure that Loheiyah, Zohra, Zeidiyah
and other places are at last in friendly hands, but warned him to
refrain from occupying Salif or places south of Zeidiyah, as the
permanent ownership of territory taken from the enemy must be
left until the final settlement of boundaries. The Idrisi, in his
reply, implied that his troops have already entered Said at the
request of the Sheikhs, with a view to maintaining order between
the tribesmen and to prevent the theft of salt, but, he added,
“the acquisition of territories shall necessarily remain for your
decision.”
The departure of the Turkish garrisons has to spine extent
weakened the position of the Imam in the Zeidi districts. A
fight is reported between Saleh ibn Saleh el lairi, Sheikh of
Radaa, and one of the Imam’s miiqaddams who was collecting
tithes in Juban and Nawa. -i • i j
A letter was recently received at Aden from Seyyid Ahmed
ibn Yehia of Kibs, fomerly Yemen member of Ottoman Par-
Tiament for Sanaa, advocating the claims of Seif el Islam Moi-