The History of Aden 1839-72.

Lediglich der Schutzumschlag ist leicht berieben, sonst ein sehr gutes Exemplar ohne Anstreichungen / Only the dust jacket is slightly rubbed, otherwise a very good copy without annotations. - This book fills a gap in our knowledge of the background of the strategically vital port of Aden. In January 1839, the British took Aden for several reasons. They feared that France or Muhammad �Ali, the Pasha of Egypt, might seize it and turn it into a base of operations against India. France had occupied Egypt for three years (1798-1801), and a French reoccupation of that country after Muhammad �Ali�s death presented itself as a distinct possibility. In such an event, the British felt that Aden would be useful as an observation post or a forward position if they decided to attack Egypt. For forty years the Americans had dominated the coffee trade of the Yemen, and the British hoped that possession of Aden would enable them to break this domination and re-establish the town as a great market. However, the strongest reason for the occupation was Aden�s harbour and its location midway between Bombay and Suez, which made it an ideal place for a coaling station on the Red Sea route. Under British rule, Aden developed from a poor village into a sizable town, a prosperous trading port, an important military and naval base and a vital communications centre. The British had no desire to use Aden as a base for expansion and wanted to keep contact with the interior to a minimum. However, for geographical, economic and political reasons, they could not avoid becoming involved with the neighbouring tribes. Aden was barren, and the British found themselves dependent on the interior for their food and water supplies. The interior was also necessary if Aden were to become a trading centre as was hoped. For the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the hinterland, the British established relations with the chiefs and even paid them stipends. Yet in spite of this, the tribes did not allow them to live peacefully in their new possession. They attacked the Settlement, stopped supplies from reaching it and murdered British subjects. To punish the tribes, the British had to go into the interior. Eventually they assumed a protectorate over it. Much of the material in this book, from official and private sources, has not been used before, and never before has anyone discussed in depth the factors and policies responsible for the Settlement�s progress or the problems which the British faced. The author has also given a new interpretation to the relations between the British and the tribes. / CONTENTS List of Maps Acknowledgments I. Introduction II. The Growth of the Settlement III. Trade IV. The Administration V. Sultan Muhsin VI. Sultan �Ali VII. Sultan Fadl Appendix: Rassam Notes Bibliography Index. ISBN 9780714631011