ملف رقم ٦٠٠ لسنة ١٩٠٥ الجزء ٥ "المنطقة الداخلية لعدن: معاهدة مع سلطان بلحاف" [ظ‎‎١‎٦‎٨] (١٥٢/١٢٠)

Assistant Resident to visit Balahaf on the 1st proximo, with a view to holding
a local inquiry into the rights of the family concerned over the Port, and also
with a view to ascertaining on the spot the wishes of all the members of the
family and of the Sheikhs and Akils of the Wahidi both in regard to the
Sultanship and the true interests of the Port of Balahaf.
2. I am directing my First Assistant Resident after holding this enquiry
to bring the leading Akils and Sheikhs concerned into Aden with a view to an
ultimate settlement of their affairs being arrived at here, subject of course to
the final approval of Government, to whom a full report will be submitted
upon the conclusion of the inquiry.
3. Meanwhile in reference to the degree of interest in the Port of Balahaf
with which Sultan Saleh has endeavoured to part, I have the honour to invite
reference to the deeds of sale submitted to Government with this office No 626
of the 9th February; 1905 wherein reference is made to the famous and well
known half of the Port of Balahaf and of the Port of Khisat JaPa together
with all rights of administration and suzerainty on the coast and inland on all
sides of the Port, and also to paragraph 6 of this office letter No. 200, dated
27th November 1904 where it was reported as the result of personal inquiry
then made that half the customs dues were sent to Sultan Saleh and half to
Mohsin.
4. From the statement appended to this office letter No. 142, dated 9th
January 1905 it w ould, however, appear that Sultan Saleh’s share in the Port
was formerly ^th and is now only gVh 8 - And further local inquiry thus
seems advisable to clear up remaining doubts on this particular point.
5. I have further the honour to invite consideration of the fact that the
deeds of sale above referred to mention “ all rights of administration and
suzerainty on the coast and inland on all sides of the Port,” but that in this
office letter No. 200, dated 27th November 1904, the Port is described as the
ruins of a fort and a few huts built of mats and it is there stated that the port
was maintained merely as a customs post for the collection of dues on exports
and imports such as oamelVhair cloth, jowari and kerosine oil, and that only
about 20 to 30 men w r ere ordinarily stationed there for collection of those dues.
f lhe proposed further local inquiry will, it is hoped, clear up any remaining
doubts as to rights of suzerainty and administration included in the so-called
shares in the Port of Balahaf.
4
G. C. Prcsi, 8im1».~Xo. C16J J. D,—ir-5-0t,—00.—E. 8