'Volume II. MEMORANDA REGARDING OTHER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. 1905.' [‎22v] (49/228)

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to reinforce the Sana Relief Expedition {vide
paragraphs 4 and 6 of the Memorandum for
.April 1905).
7. It was reported that an attack was
anticipated on Kataba by the Imam, and .that
the garrison numbered 500 Turks and Syrians.
A later report stated that, in view of the strong
position of the Turks at Menakha, the antici
pated attack on Kataba appeared unlikely.
8. Turkish deserters are flocking into
the Aden Protectorate and are being deported
by the ^Resident to the Piraeus, as His
Majesty’s Agent and Consul-General at Cairo
objects to their landing in Egypt.
9. The Resident, Aden, reported on 12th
May 1905 that the Kaimmakam of Kataba,
anticipating removal from office, had resigned,
and was proceeding to Aden. The Resident
has instructions to treat him with consideration.
10. The Turkish Government, it is report
ed, no longer intends to rely solely on military
measures for the re-establishment of order in
the Yemen. It has now been proposed to
place a considerable sum of money at the
disposal of the Commander-in-Chief for the
purpose of buying over the principal Sheikhs.
11. The Council of Ministers have drawn
up a report dealing with the despatch of a
Reform Commission to the Yemen with pro
posals for its division into four Yilayets, the
formation of an Army Corps, and of a police
and gendarmerie force of natives of the prov
ince.
12. An Imperial Irade has been received
at Damascus for the immediate survey of the
country between Ma’an and Akaba with a
view to the construction of a railway connecting
these two points. The distance from Ma’an
to Akaba—as the crow flies—is (about) 70
miles {vide paragraph 5 of the Memorandum
for January 1905).
IB. A contract has been concluded by the
Secretary of State for India with the Euphrates
and Tigris Steam Navigation Company, to
take effect from the 1st May 1904, and con
tinue in force up to the 13th April 1914, for
the conveyance of mails between Baghdad and
Basrah.
PERSIAN GULP.
14. Masqat.—{Fide paragraph 9 of
Memorandum for April 1905.) At the request
of the Government of India, Major Cox sub
mitted a report, with his recommendations on
the various points which have arisen out of’the
Masseera incident. In reply, he was told on
the 25th May that, in view of the question of
compensation having been dropped, there
seemed to he no good reason for further com.
plying with the Sultan’s request for the refund