All subjects of the British Government trading to Mokha, and particularly the merchants of Surat, shall do so under the protection of the British flag, (if of the Islam faith, and wish to settle their disputes according to the Mahomedan Sharah, they shall be at liberty to do so, a person on the part of the Resident attending,) and all differences among themselves shall be decided by the Resident; in the event of any of the Imam's subjects being concerned in the dispute, by an Agent on the part of the Resident (or himself if he pleases) and the Governor conjointly; if the Imam's subject is wrong, the Governor shall punish him; if on the contrary the Resident. Also that all the dependents of the factory of every denomination, from broker downwards, shall be wholly under the protection of the British flag and control of the Resident, who shall alone possess the power of punishing them and redressing all complaints against them. This sixth Article has been expressly admitted by separate grant to Captain Bruce by His Highness the Imam. (Sd.) WM. BRUCE, Gort. Agent. there is nothing (leviable) on them; their situation is that of the government vessels and the King's ships. If its cargo should be brought on shore there is nothing (leviable) on them of the 400 rials. This affair was discussed and fixed without being referred to Senna, on the condition of the cessation of hostilities and the removal of the blockade of the port. It is finished besides this. Signed by the six members. ARTICLE 6. That all merchants who are the dependants of the English Government, under their protection and under their flag, may transact their affairs (trade) at the Bunder of Mokha, especially the natives of Surat. If there be Mussulmen among them, and disputes should happen between them, and any of them may desire (to have) the law (Mussulman), no opposition is to be made to them (meaning to their wishes). Whenever there may be (any dispute) between the people ("Jumaut") of Resident, and the subjects of Mokha, a person may come (be present) on the part of the Resident before the Hakim of Mokha, who will observe in what manner the wrong has been committed, and by whom. If the native of the country be in the wrong, the Hakim of Mokha is to punish him, but if the crime or wrong should have been committed by the English military ("Uskur"), then the Resident is to punish them. This Article, the sixth, is one of the two which were referred to the Imam Mehdi for his consideration, and the Shureef's answer having arrived, was (given into) the hands of Mr. Bruce, a copy being retained by the Umeer Futteh-oolla; and on receipt of the answer, there was an argument between Mr. Bruce and the Umeer Futteh-oolla, the (substance of) which is written above. ARTICLE 7. In regard to duties on what is exported from the port of Mokha, two dollars and a quarter shall be paid on one hundred, as the French, who pay two dollars and a quarter on the hundred, and the imports into the port of Mokha shall be like that for the English government and for the English merchants. This seventh Article is (one) of the two Articles which were referred for the consideration and decision of His Highness the Shureef Medhi, and to which the answer returned by the Shurreef was as follows:— "We have reduced the duties three quarters of a dollar per cent. out of three dollars, and this is upon all goods imported into the port in the name of the English Sirkar and their merchants; there is not (to be) more (required) from them than two and a quarter dollars per cent. alone, both upon goods imported and on goods exported, and this is as a mark of our regard and respect for the said two (the English government and their merchants and for the preservation of the intercourse and friendship between us both, as was (the case) with those who existed before us (in former times). "Dated Rubbee-oo-sance 1236 of the Hegira A.D. 1821." Signed by the six members. PART III. TREATIES AND ENGAGEMENTS RELATING TO AFRICA. DANKALI COAST & SHOA. THE principal ports on the African coast, opposite to Aden, are Tajoura, Zaila, Bulhar, and Berbera. Of these Tajoura lies to the west and the most easterly is Berbera. Tajoura and Zaila are the principal outlets of the trade of southern Abyssinia. Bulhar is an open roadstead which affords no shelter to shipping; it is used as a trading station by the Ayyal Yoonus subdivision of the Habr Awal tribe and when the roads to Berbera are rendered dangerous for travellers by inter-tribal quarrels. Berbera, which is nearly opposite to Aden, furnishes live stock for the garrison and inhabitants of that settlement. It is not a permanent town, but a collection of huts inhabited during the trading season by a large Somali population, who have no acknowledged head and are consequently incessantly at feud with one another. From June to October during the south-west monsoon it is almost deserted. During the north-east monsoon Berbera affords a safe and commodious harbour for shipping. Tajoura and Zaila.-In 1840 after the capture of Aden, it was deemed necessary to secure command of the harbours of Tajoura and Zaila on the Dankali coast, in consequence of the reported despatch of a French expedition from Bordeaux to obtain a footing in Eastern Africa. Tajoura paid tribute to Zaila, though practically independent of it, and both places were subject to the Imams of Senaa by whom Zaila was farmed to individuals who paid a yearly tribute for the rights of Governorship, levying taxes, &c. The same system was pursued by the Egyptians after their capture of Mocha. After the Egyptian evacuation of Yemer in 1840, Syud Mahomed El Barr, who commanded the forces of the Shereef of Mocha and whose family had for years previously held Zaila under the Government of Mocha, obtained possession of Zaila at a yearly rent of 500 dollars, and during the revolutions which then and afterwards convulsed Yemen, both he and the Tajoura Chief succeeded in making themselves independent. Accordingly a Treaty (No. LXXVII.) was concluded with Mahomed bin Mahomed, Chief of Tajoura, on the 19th August 1840, by which the Mussa islands were ceded to the British Government, and in September 1840 a Treaty (No. LXXVIII.) of the same tenor was signed by Syud Mahomed El Barr, who ceded the island of Aubad. The principal Articles in the Treaties were those by which the Chiefs of Zaila and Tajoura bound themselves not to enter into any Treaty or Bond with any other European nation or person without, in the first instance, bringing the subject to the notice of the British Government at Aden. The British Government suggested a modification of these Treaties, and the omission of all clauses of an exclusive nature directed against the trade of other nations, but owing to the distracted state of Yemen and its dependencies, the alteration of the Treaties was not effected. Syud Mahomed El Barr subsequently leased Zaila to El Hajj Shermarki bin Ali Salih of the Habr Gerhajis tribe for a sum of 750 dollars per annum. When in 1848 Zaila and Tajoura fell under the Government of the Turks, who had intervened in the quarrels between the Shereef of Mocha and the Imam of Senaa and taken possession of Hodeida and the other towns of the Tehama or low country, Zaila was taken from the El Barr family and the lease was continued to Shermarki by the Turkish Governor of Mocha and Hodeida. In 1855 Shermarki was deposed, but reinstated on payment of a heavy fine to the Turkish authorities. In 1860 he was arrested by the French on suspicion of having been concerned in the previous year in the alleged murder near Zaila of the French Consular Agent at Aden. He was taken to Hodeida and thence to Jeddah where he died. Since then Zaila has been farmed by a Dankali Chief, Aboo Bakr Shehem. Somalis. In 1825 a British vessel trading at Berbera was attacked A vessel of war was and plundered by the Habr Awal tribe of Somalis. sent to punish the tribe for the outrage which they had committed. On 6th |