An account of the British settlement of Aden in Arabia

Front matter

PS

■'HSii

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Preface

The following monograph has been prepared at the request of Dr. W. W. Hunter, Director-General of Statistics to the Government of India, and so far as the local circumstances of Aden permitted, upon the general plan drawn up by him for all India.

Since the publication of the History of Yemen by Captain Playfair in 1859, no account of the Settlement of Aden, beyond the yearly Administration Reports, has been written, and it is hoped that this compilation will be found useful if not interesting.

Several subjects have been treated very cursorily owing to the absence of reliable data, but this very incompleteness will serve a purpose, if thereby the investigation be induced of matters which have been briefly or imperfectly noticed.

Several officers and gentlemen have afforded assistance in collecting materials, and it is desired here to fully recognise the obligation due to them for their valuable co-operation.

The compilation has been prepared in the intervals of current duties, and it is entirely due to the consideration shown the compiler by Brigadier-General Schneider, the Political Resident, that any measure of success has been attained.

The work has been divided into six parts, and it may not be amiss to say a few words regarding each.

vi PREFACE.

Part I. has been compiled from the Records of the Aden Residency and other independent sources.

Part II. is almost entirely the result of personal experience, observation, and inquiry.

The materials for Part III. were obtained by a variety of inquiries, and a free use of all available authorities.

Part IV. it is hardly necessary to notice.

Part V. has been compiled from the Aden Residency Records and Playfair's History of Yemeni.

Part VI, is an attempt to introduce some items of information that seem worthy of record, but cannot appropriately be included in any of the other parts.

The Map of the Peninsula has been corrected up to date. The Sketch Map showing the Kafilah routes has no pretensions to geographical accuracy, and is only intended to give a general idea of the relative positions occupied by the neighbouring tribes whose territories are not included in the map prepared under the superintendence of Major Stevens.

A list of the authorities consulted will be found in the Appendix, and if any plagiarism has been committed without acknowledgment, it must be set down to inadvertence.

F. M. H.

GENERAL CONTENTS.

Map.

Part I. — Geography and General Aspects : — Position, Limits, Area, and Population

I

Physical Aspects, . ' .

1-2

Harbour, ....

Geological Notes,

2-3

Clirnate,

3-6

Botanical Notes,

6-7

The inhabited portion of the Peninsula,

7-9

Water Supply,

9-21

Wells, ....

ID

Aqueduct,

ID

Tanks and Reservoirs,

II Rain-fall

13-14

Condensers, ....

14-16

Conveyance, ....

16-17

Possible sources of Supply, .

17-21

Toban, ....

18-19

Sahiba, ) ^

■ Rivers,

19-20

Hussan, ,

Missana Spring, ....

20-21

Improvements under construction, .

Natural History, ....

21-25

VIU

Part II. — The People: Population, Different Races, Occupation, Material Condition, Money-lending

Expenditure,

Morals, Dress, .

Somalis,

Jews,

Other Races, Food,

Europeans, .

Somalis,

Jews,

Indians, Domestic Ceremonies,

Somalis,

Jews,

Other Races, Religion,

Games and Amusements, Ornaments,

Jews, .

Somalis, and Other Races,

26-27

27-28

28-36

36-43

36-39

39-43

43-46

43-45

45-46

46-48

48-54

48-51

51-52

52-54

54-56

56-58

58-62

58-61

TABLE OF CONTENTS,

IX

Part III.— Chapter I.— Supplies :— Food Grains

63-67

Rice,

Jowari,

63-65

Wheat,

Bajri,

65-66

Pulse,

Maize,

66-67

Fodder,

Firewood,

Vegetables and Fruits,

67-69

Domestic Animals,

69-72

Horse, . . . ,

69-71

Camel, . . . .

71-72

Ox and Cow,

Sheep and Goat,

Mule,

Poultry, . . . .

Part III. — Chapter II.— Trade and (

ZIOMMERCE : —

Weights and Measures,

73-75

Currency and Exchange,

75-76

Communications and Conveyances, .

76-79

Manufactures and Industries : —

House-Building,

79-80

Mat and String Making,

Weaving and Spinning,

Oil Pressing,

Lime Burning,

Charcoal Bun ling, .

b

81-82

X

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Part III. — Trade and CouyiEKCE—contimied.

Potash Burning,

Salt Drying, ....

Dyeing, .....

Distilling, .....

Boat Building, ....

83-85

Printing, .....

Manufacture of Soda and Aerated Waters,

85-86

Photography, ....

Water Condensing,

Manufacture of Ice, ....

Map showing Kafilah Routes,

Kafilah Routes, ....

86-88

Imports and Exports, ....

88-98

Coal and Patent Fuel,

99-100

100-103

Cotton (Twist and Piece Goods),

103-105

105-108

Feathers, . ". .

108-110

1 10- 1 16

Hides and Skins, ....

116-117

Shells,

117-119

Silk (Raw), ...

119-121

Silk (Piece Goods), ....

121-122

Spices, .....

122-123

123-125

Tobacco, .....

126-128

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

XI

Part IV. — Administration : — System of Administration

Police, .....

Civil and Criminal Justice,

Prisons, ....

Municipal System,

132-135

Land Tenure,

Finance, ....

136-137

Treasury and Account,

Abkari Revenue,

Military,

Fortifications, .

142-143

Trooping,

Marine, ....

143-144

Royal Navy and Indian Marine,

144-145

Medical Aid, ....

145-146

Contagious Diseases,

146-147

Ecclesiastical Arrangements, .

147-148

Education, ....

Post-Office, ....

151-154

Part V. — Political Relations and History

The Arab Tribes Government have to deal with at Aden, Abdali, Fadhli, Akrabi, Other Tribes,

155-157

155-156

156-157 xn

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Part V.— Political Relations and His- TO RY — con tinued.

Chiefs having Political Relations with the Aden Residency, who are entitled to Salutes,

Abdali, and Fadhli, .

Socotra, ....

Somali and other African Tribes, History, ....

Perim, ....

Other British Possessions in the neighbourhood,

Massah Islands, Eibat Island, and Kuriah Muriah Islands, ....

Part VI. — Miscellaneous : — Language, Foreign Consuls, Ziarahs, or Visitations and Masjids, Natural Calamities

Wrecks and Casualties, Telegraph, Extract from an Arabic Work relating to Aden,

. 158- i

Appendix

A. List of Authorities,

B. Aden Act, .

C. Lighthouses,

D. Marine Department — Port Rules,

Index, ....

197-202

203-206

208-211

213-232

AN ACCOUNT

OF THE

BRITISH SETTLEMENT OF ADEN.