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* THE LEV ANT * Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society

APS Affiliate 247

September 2014 Volume 7 number 6 P resident: Robert Stuchell Editor: Richard Rose

CONTENTS -,

Ottoman Censor Markings during World War I: Lebanon & Palestine

John Garton ................... .. ... . 98

To aw ail-.ruTll.al. . 1 !JTllil!ltl!: Lebanon Dues on Trip from India to Istanbul Rida Bazzi ..... .. .......... 104

Yemen Postal Arrangements 1919-1926 Carl Catherman ...... 104

Overland Mail Baghdad-Haifa collectors Rainer Fuchs ... ....... ... ... ...... ... 106

Southwest Arabia 1963 -1971 , Questions and Answers

Robert Waugh .. ........ .... .. .. ... . 109

Member Notices .............................. 107

ONEPS Society Information Page .... . 108

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(of Madura Mi lls Co. Ltd., Madura, /hI- Inqi.a), I//~ tvt.,~

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Cover described in Rida Bazzi's article LEBANON DUES on TRIP from INDIA to ISTANBUL page 104

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The Levant. Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society. Vol. VII, No.5, May 2014 97

Ottoman Censor Markings during World War I: Lebanon & Palestine John G.arton

This is the third of a series of articles on Ottoman censor markings. The first section (Syria) appeared I the May 2013 issue (vol. 7, No.2). The second section (Beirut) appeared in the January 2014 issue (vol. 7, no.4)

./

98

Beirut Vilayet

Tripoli a city and port in northern Lebanon, during Ottoman times it served the Syrian cities of Aleppo, Hama and Horns. Both the covers shown below are a part of R. Stuchell collection.

TRlPOLI l>OST OFFICE CENSOR UNIT

An circular negative cachet was applied in black after censorship MUA YENE OLUNMUSTER 1332, which translates IT HAS BEEN EXAMINED: 1916.

r-----------------

f'.t: J .I , ,. - L

· "-::~3~1~ .. :'~j~:) \~ . ·· ·' I , · nJ~\

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TRIPOLI MlLIT ARY CENSOR COMMISSION

A negative star and crescent was applied in black after censorship. In the star MUA YENE OLUNMUSTER and in the crescent TRABLUSSAM ASKERI SANSUR HEY' ETI which translates IT HAS BEEN EXAMINED: TRIPOLI MILITARY CENSOR COMMISSION.

- ' --- --------------~--------- .~~~~--~--------~--~-------

The Levant. Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society. Vol. VII, No.5, May 2014

Beirut Vilayet Lebanon

Baalbek Military Censor Commission

Baalbek a town located in the B~kaa valley in the eastern pan of Lebanon

Baabda Post Office Censor Unit

A black circular negative cachet MUA YENE OLUNrvruSTUR, (IT HAS BEEN EXAMINED) and in the crescent BAALBEK ASKER! SANSUR HEY' ETI, (BAALBEK MILITARY CENSOR COMMISSION. )

Baabda is the main town of the district of the same name situated in Mount Lebanon to the south east of Beirut.

A black negative crescent was appl ied after censorship. MUA YENE OLUNMUSTER: BAABDA (IT HAS BEEN EXAMlNED: BAABDA.)

- ------.:.""

,

The Levant. Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society. Vol. VII, No.6, September 2014 99

Beirut Vilayet

Sidon (Saida, Sayda) a city and port in southern Lebanon to the south of Beirut The cover shown below is a part of R. Stuchell collection

Saida Post Office Censor Unit

A rectangular cachet was applied in black after censorship. (SAIDA) MUANJENE EDfUMISTIR, which translates (SIDON) IT HAS BEEN EXAMlNED 1.

Beirut Vilayet: Palestine

During World War I, the following censor units operated in the southern part of the Beirut Vilayet, later Palestine,: Acre, Haifa, Nablus, Nazareth, Tul Karem (Beni Saab), Tiberias and Safed.

100 The Levant. Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society. Vol. VII, No.6, September 2014

Acre Post Office Censor Unit

An oval negative cachet was app1ied in black or viotet after censorship: MUAYENE OLUNMUSTUR, which translates IT HAS BEEN EXAMINED: ACRE. This cachet was used throughout the war period tmtil the town was captured by the E.E.F. On September23rd 1918.

---'-'-------- ...... ----

N O -F ...... th Militorv C"n,.nr C.nmmi" .. ion

Beirut Vilayet

Nablus Censor Commission _

A ne ative crescent cachet was applied j,n violet or black after censorship: NABLUS SANSUR HEY'ETI which transt!tes NABLUS CENSOR COMMISSION. Tbis city was captured by the E.E.f . On September 21st, 1918.

,." .. , ," .... .. _ .. _ ... _ ..... ".-......... _.-

The Levant. Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society. Vol. VII, No. 6, September 2014 101

Nazareth Milifary Censor Commission

A star and crescent was applied in v iolet after censorship: IN he star MUANJE E OLUNMUSDUR, which translates IT HAS BEEN EXAMINED) in the cr,escent NASRE: ASKERI SANSUR HEY'ETI, which translates NAZARETH MILITARY CENSOR COMMISSION. This town was captured by the E.E.F . on September 20th, 1'916.

' -"",,- .

.' .- --) t .J~ .. - -..;.~ .. i' '- ,

Beirut ViJayet

Haifa Post Office Censor Unit

"

An oval negative cachet was applied in black after censorship: HAIFA: MUAYENE OLUNMUSTUR, which translates HAIFA: IT HAS BEEN EXAtv1INED. This cachet appears on covers posted in 1914 ..

U NI ON PO STA.L U N I VERSE

E ~11' L HE OT T O;\I A :\

-- , - ; .

. (/

y . )

102 The Levant. Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society, Vol. VII, No.6, September 2014

Haifa Military Censor Commission

A star and crescent was applied in black after censorship: the star MUA YENE OL~MUS~ which translates IT HAS BEEN EXAMINED and in the crescent HAlF A ASKER! SANSUR HEY ~TI, which translates HAlF A MILITARY CENSOR COMMISSION. This cachet is found on posted covers until the capture of the town by the E.E.F. on September 23rd, 1918.

/'

Beirut Vilayet

Ben; Saab Censor Unit

Qaza in the Plain of Sharon, the main town of which was Tul Karem where the post office was situated. The postmarks ofBeni Saab can be found on items that originate in the whole district of that name.

Tul Karem was a main rail junction and the Ottoman Army used it as one of their principal bases in the Sinai and Palestine campaigns ofWor.ld War I. T ul Karen was captured by tbcE.E.F. on September, 1918.

All civilian mail was censored in the Tul Karem post office where a black cachet was applied after censorship: MUA YENE OLUNMUSTUR: BENI SAAB I, which translates IT HAS BEEN EXAMINED: BENt SAAB:l

Beni Saab Provisional Stamp Issue-1917

In the winter of 1917118 there was a shortage of the 5 para stamp which was needed for printed matter and postal orders. ArifBey, on the advice ofIsmail Hakki Bey, who was a high rank in the Turkish militarY a relative of the Grand Vizier, ordered the overpri9.ting of five sheets (500 stamps) using a hand stamp to create a 5 para stamp. The period of known use December 27th, 1917 to February 6th, 1918.


LEBANON DUES on a TRIP from INDIA to ISTANBUL

Rida Bazzi < ridabaz@ gmail.com >

Letters addressed to persons on the move sometimes collude to create most interesting covers with multiple postal markings from different countries. Such covers are even more interesting when postage dues are involved resulting in multi-taxed covers with stamps from multiple countries. This article is a first in a series of articles on multi-taxed covers with a Lebanon connection.

\ IJ"T~/vIf~ _ ,," ( ry:s::::::::.. Mud.li ar Ee ;~; " ,.' 1 (o f Madura )>li lls Co })jI.td. , Madura, I

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Cook & S Q~ Lt d . , N i

The cover[color image on front page] was sent on 18 July 1933 from

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Berhampur in the Ganjam district of the south Indian state of Odisha. Berhampur means the silk city. Appropriately enough the cover is sent to a representative from the Madura Mills Co., a company that manufactured cotton and blended yam fabrics. Since ., ~

the representative was on travel, the cover was sent "awaiting arrival" in the care of the Beirut office of Thomas Cook and Sons. ., The cover is short-paid 1 anna, which at the time was equivalent to -7.1 gold centimes and was marked with a black T in a circle and 14 C in blue crayon for a rounded down taxation at double deficiency (the 14 C is not immediately seen because it was hidden with later markings). The cover arrived on the first of August to Beirut where

I IJ' L __

., ....

, " ,. '

the 14 gctm was calculated to be equivalent to 4.2 piastres which was then rounded down to 4 piastres, using postage due stamps from the provisional issue of 1928 and the definitive issue of 1931. The use of definitive and provisional dues is known from a number of towns outside Beirut, but this cover is the only one the author has seen with mixed postage due stamps used in Beirut. The postage due stamps were typically applied at the post office before attempted delivery. In this case, the recipient has already left to Istanbul and the Lebanese postage due stamps were voided with Blue Crayon. In Istanbul the cover was taxed 7.5 piastres which seems excessive as it is equivalent to 15.4 gold centimes. One possible explanation for this discrepancy is the following. The 14 C Indian marking by which the postal clerk in Istanbul should have respected was no longer easily visible after having been overwritten with a bold red ISTANBUL. So, it is likely that the postal clerk redid the tax calculation from scratch and rounded up the deficiency to 15 gold centimes instead of rounding down to 14 gold centimes. The 15 gold centimes were equivalent to 7.32 piastres and the amount collected was rounded up to 7.5 piastres

******************************** YEMEN POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS 1919-1926

Carl R. Catherman < [email protected] >

During the process of reviewing 40 years of philatelic correspondence, I found a 1983 letter from Theo Klewitz which contained an interesting enclosure - a photocopy of a letter written to Klewitz in 1969 from 1. H. T. Okday (1881 -1977). The letter was written in German and posted from Istanbul. An English translation follows, minus five paragraphs which are not relevant to this article.

First, a brief recapitulation is in order. The subject of how mail was handled in independent Yemen between the end of W orId War I and the introduction of the first Yemen stamps in 1926 has been addressed in a number of articles spanning many years. David Graham & Tarik Alireza, Alexander MacDonald, David Newton, myself and most recently Robert Waugh ("The Levant", Vol. 5, No.5) have all written about the subject. No doubt the most authoritative information was in David Newton's article in OPAL No. 197. He made a most convincing case that the tahiZ system


j

of having letters carried privately had been in use in Yemen for many years and that it no doubt continued during the interim period of 1919-1926. Nevertheless, Okday's letter is worth publishing and the relevant parts follow, with a few insertions in brackets for clarity:

" Post in Yemen: The last Imam of Yemen, Imam Yahya, who had maintained a far -reaching autonomy from the Imperial Ottoman Government, did not want to acknowledge the Treaty of Lausanne of July 23, 1923 and considered the nation of Yemen as a part of the Ottoman Empire and later the Turkish Republic. After the withdrawal of Turkish troops under Gen. Said Pasha from Yemen according to the Mudros Armistice in 1918 the Turkish troops from Yemen were interned by the English in Egypt. [In fact, only about half of the Ottoman troops were evacuated. The remainder chose to serve under the Imam, keeping with them a considerable amount of military equipment. [ I] Only the Turkish civil administration remained in Yemen under the direction of Vali Mahmud Nedim Bey, who governed the province of Yemen with the assistance of Imam Yahya until the official Treaty of Lausanne. After the Treaty of Lausanne the Vali had to [i. e, was ordered to] relinquish the command of the administration to the Imam and return to istanbul.

" The Imam of Yemen however prevented the departure of the Vali Mahmud Nedim Bey and furthermore bade him to govern the nation together. The Imam declared Yemen to be a part of the Turkish Republic and was prepared to send a deputy to the Parliament of the Grand Turkish National Assembly at Ankara. [I consulted several sources but found no confirmation of this.] The government of the Turkish Republic, which in the Treaty of Lausanne had recognized the right of self-determination for all Arabic provinces in Asia and Africa, had to refuse the offer of the Imam of Yemen. Nevertheless the Iman persisted in his state of belonging to Turkey, so that the Vali was unable to return to Turkey until the beginning of 1926 and turn over to the Imam the entire administrative branch and with it the operation of the postal service. At that time the Turkish postal and telegraph administration ceased. Yemen stamps were issued [in 1926] and Yemen joined the UPU [in 1930].

"Thus the Turkish post functioned together with the official mail of autonomous Yemen until 1926, at which time the independent government of Yemen assumed the entire service, Turkish stamps of the Ottoman Empire were available in sufficient quantity so that they could be used until 1926. Letters with Turkish stamps in the period from 1919 to 1926 are extremely rare. Also letters and postcards from before this period under Turkish rule are very rare."

Here it is important to note that Okday never served in Yemen so he could not have any direct knowledge of the postal arrangements there. On the other hand, since both Okday and Nedim were Turkish government officials it is likely that they were acquainted with each other. As a philatelist Okday could have learned of the postal arrangements from Nedim. Thus, Okday's letter is not necessarily the definitive document regarding the matter but nevertheless it is of importance.

As David Newton pointed out, during the Ottoman administration Turkish officials routinely searched travelers looking for unfranked letters. If this practice was continued in the interim period it is possible that some writers might have used the "official" postal service described by Okday to ensure safe delivery. Nevertheless, no letters using this service in the interim period have ever been found so there certainly is reason to be skeptical.

1. Wenner, Manfred W., Modern Yemen, 1918-1966, p. 50


Where have the Overland Mail Baghdad-Haifa collectors gone? Rainer Fuchs (FRPSL)

The title may sound a bid weird but I really wonder where all collectors of the Overland Mail Baghdad - Haifa have gone to? It cannot be that I am the only serious collector of this fascinating area. Too many times I am outbid at auctions for interesting items but who are the buyers? Are they collecting hiding in the woods?

I am in possession of at least part of the correspondence Norman Collins had with collectors worldwide when he prepared his book on the overland Mail. At that time it seems collectors did not had a problem communicating and informing about items in their collections.

For several years I've maintained a detailed Internet Site dedicated to the Overland Mail but so far I have not received any information from any collector of the Overland Mail with the exception of some collectors I have approached in regard to postal rates impose by other Postal Agencies for the use of the Overland Mail for Mail going into Iraq.

For the ones who are not yet aware of my Internet Site: http://fuchs-online.comloverlandmail

Meanwhile I have discovered many previously unknown items, new usage dates, even different sizes of Imprinted Envelopes but in order to verify if some items are the ones listed in Collins' monograph I would require images of the listed items Collins used. The study and research may even lead to an update of Collins book but such a book would never be correct and accurate without the cooperation of fellow collectors.

Therefore my appeal. If some ONEPS members have Overland Mail items in their collection or know collectors of Overland Mail, I would really appreciate hearing from them. See my notice on the Members Page.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

World Stamp Show-NY 2016- Two Years and Counting Down Organizers ofthe next U.S. international exhibition, World Stamp Show-NY 2016, have marked the show's progress with the release of Newsletter 4 with just under 24 months before its doors open. A direct link to the newsletter in PDF format is here: http://www.ny2016.orglimages/ ny2016newsletters/2014-06-newsletter4.pdf. The event takes place May 28-June 4,2016 at the Javits Center in New York City. The list of attending philatelic specialty societies continues to grow and is currently at 29. All are mentioned along with specifics of how additional organizations can participate. Most will be hosting annual meetings as well as seminars on a wide variety of topics.

WSS NY -2016 is pleased to announce that the Club de Monte-Carlo de la Philatelie has accepted an invitation to have its members exhibit their world rarities in a special display at the show. The Club was formed in 1998 after a highly successful exhibition of" 1 00 of the W odd' s Rarest Stamps and Philatelic Documents" in honor of the seven century reign of the Grimaldi dynasty in the Principality of Monaco. Their web site further explains their role at http://www.monacophil.eu/ site-enlclub.asp .

The current and all prior exhibition newsletters can be downloaded online at http://www.ny2016.org where full details ofthe show can be found .

106 The Levant. Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society. Vol. VII, No. 6, September 2014

MEMBER NOTICES

Report on Philatelic Literature Auction (included in the May issue)

I can report that the results were very satisfactory. There were eighteen bidders of whom all but one won at least one lot. As a percentage of the number of lots offered, Aden, India, and Yemen were the areas that drew the most bids; there was little interest in Crete and Greece. The biggest surprise was the interest in auction catalogs, which often go unappreciated for the information they contain. Finally, I must admit to having seller's remorse. So many of the books were written by collectors whom I knew personally or corresponded with. I contributed information that was included in quite a few. I have learned so much from this collection and I hope the buyers will treasure their purchases as much as I have.

Carl Catherman

Unsold Lots available. at 75% of the minimum bid, plus postage. The first bid bye-mail wins. Lots 115, 123, 126, 127, 128, 130, 131,132,189,206,210,216,217, 218,221,139,140,242,243,260, 264,278,279,280,281,283,284. If you no longer have the original sale list, contact the seller for details

< [email protected] >

Baghdad-Haifa Overland Mail and Iraq Railway Stamps 1928 - ca. 1942 Advanced research collector is looking for contacts with other collectors of this area. Will purchase any kind of items related to these two specialties. Rainer Fuchs, Am Burkardstuh133, 97267, Himmelstadt, Germany. < [email protected] >

Ottoman Cancellations software now available. Can identify, cross-reference,

catalog and document cancellations and fragments thereof. Contact George Stasinopoulos for download information. <[email protected] >

Yemen & Persia. Will purchase philatelic material from Yemen up to around 1950: stamps, covers, postal and official documents, revenues. Will also purchase PersiaJIran covers & ppc's. Bjorn Sohrn. < [email protected] >

Navy League Revenues. Will buy perforated color essays, color essays, Immigration (red overprint) and Matches (black overprint), on documents, etc. Send description or images to: Rolfe Smith. <[email protected]>

WANT LISTS Filled: Ottoman, Turkish Republic, & North Cyprus. Very reasonable prices. Rolfe Smith, 705 SE Sandia Drive, Port St. Lucie, Florida. 34983 USA. <[email protected]. >

TRADE my Middle East & North Africa duplicate stamps for yours. Richard T. Barnes, 11715 - 123rd St. NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T5M OG8 Canada. < [email protected] >

Wnted: Russian perfins. Even if you have only one Russian perfin to offer, consider trading it with me. I have perfins of many countries for trade, incl. China, Japan, and UK. Dick Scheper, Hogeland 1, 2264 JX. Leidschendam, The Netherlands. < [email protected] >


THE OTTOMAN and NEAR EAST PHILATELIC SOCIETY The Society was established in 2000 and is an affiliated organization with the American Philatelic Society. New members can join by sending a completed application plus appropriate dues to the Secretary (checks only in $US payable to ONEPS). Applications can be obtained from the Secretary or downloaded from our website www.oneps.net.

Membership renewals should be sent directly to the Treasurer. Dues are payable by Dec. 15 each year. USA, Canada, Mexico - USD $20. UK - £17 to Mr. Michael Fulford, Ruth Cottage, Main Street, East Langton, Leics. LE6 7TW. Turkey - £20 to our Representative in Turkey (see below). All other countries - £20 or $25 to the Treasurer. Our Treasurer has set up a payment option using Paypal. A fee of $1.50 should be added to take care of fees . Payments go to [email protected]. Members should indicate their name in the "note" area and mention that the payment is for ONEPS dues. Subscription to The Levant is included in the cost of membership. Members who join in mid-year pay

the annual dues and receive all issues of The Levant plus any special issues for the calendar year. Changes of address, email, etc. are to be sent to the Secretary.

PRESIDENT Robert Stuchell 193 Valley Stream Ln Wayne, PA 19087 (610) 251-2244

SOCIETY OFFICERS Elected Officers

VICE-PRESIDENT Yavuz Corapcioglu

P.O. Box 1103 Germantown, MD 20875

(772) 240-8937

SECRETARY TREASURER Rolfe Smith Marwan Nusair

705 SE Sandia Drive P.O. Box 498788 Port St. Lucie, FL 34983 Cincinnati, Ohio 45249

(513) 289-6337 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Appointments JOURNAL EDITOR QUESTIONS & ANSWERS WEB MASTER REPRESENTATIVE

IN TURKEY Richard Rose 511 Dwight Place Berkeley, CA 94704 (210) 464-7122 [email protected]

Carl Catherman 906 Market Street

Mifflinburg, P A 17844 (570) 966-6236 crcath @dejazzd.com

Marisa Galitz [email protected] Mahmut Emirmahmutoglu

Papatyali sk.42/4 Ciftehavuzlar,Kadikoy 34728, Istanbul, Turkey

[email protected]

The Levant is published three times a year and mailed at First Class Rates in the USA and Canada, and at Airmail Rates to Overseas members. Advertising Policy: Members are allowed free ads in The Levant's

J

classified section. Formal advertisements and notices are charged $100 for a full page, $50 for a half-page, $30 for a quarter page. Camera-ready material is required. ONEPS reserves the right to reject and/or limit advertise-ments. Articles appearing in The Levant may be reprinted with the approval of the Editor, unless personal copyright by the author is claimed. Back issues can be obtained from the Editor for $1.50 each, plus postage. Articles, Letters, Reviews, Announcements, Questions, and Information related to any aspect of Ottoman, Turkish, and Near East philately should be sent to the Journal Editor, Dr. Richard Rose. The next issue will appear only when YOU write up something about your collecting interests, or encourage another collector to do so. We also reprint articles, so please bring to the Editor's attention any article which has appeared in another journal or magazine (permission will be sought) .

The Internet Log on to our Society ONEPS Web page <www.oneps.net> and find links to The Oriental Philatelic Association of London (OPAL), Die Arbeitsgemeinschaft Osmanisches ReichiTlirkei (AROS), and Tughra Net, the online link among collectors.


Southwest Arabia 1963 -1971, Questions and Answers Robert Waugh

Someone whose name I have forgotten said; Of all the unpopular countries to collect Yemen is the most unpopular. I don't know whether or not it's true but as an avowed Yemenophile I sincerely hope not and if it is then I hope this article will help raise its ranking. The dissolution of the Imamate in the North and founding of a Marxist Republic in the South marked the drama of the era. Southwest Arabia, the territory soon to be People's Republic of Southern Yemen; long the neglected backwater of Empire; was wooed by Britain with constitutional reforms and the promise of independence. Britain was determined to maintain and extend their influence across the region. Ranged against the British were various anticolonial, nationalist, anti-British armed groups the strongest of which was The National Liberation Front. see map on page 111.

Why did Britain want influence in Southwest Arabia? The most important reasons for Britain's desire to maintain influence, either directly or by proxy included the prospect of finding oil in Southwest Arabia, the protection of nearby cheap Persian oil supplies coupled with the strategic location of Aden; and vehement antipathy towards Nasser and his brand of Arab nationalism.

Why did the name change? The People's Republic of Southern Yemen PRSYwas changed to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen PDRYon 1st December 1970. The inclusion of the word 'democratic' marked the new socialist constitution. The exclusion ofthe word 'southern' signalled to the Republican North the territorial ambitions of the National Liberation Fron t following its Marxist wings takeover.

What's the NLF? The National Liberation Front NLF was a group of anti-colonial, anti-British nationalist, socialist armed revolutionaries which announced its presence and intent by 10 b bing a grenade atthe British High Commissioner on 10th December 1963. The British responded by declaring the Aden Emergency. The British High Commissioner was about to board a plane to London accompanied by leaders ofthe Federation of South Arabia [FSA] to discuss ceding sovereignty.

What was the Aden Emergency? The grenade attack put paid to talks with the FSA and marked the start of the Aden Emergency: an armed revolt between different factions and against the British consequent primarily to the increasing spread and influence of Arab nationalism. The NLF fought the British and rival factions and emerged the dominant revolutionary group.

What was the FSA? The Federation of South Arabia established in April 1962 was a group of small states around Aden which merged with the Colony of Aden. The FSA together with the Protectorate of South Arabia would form the territory ofthe PRSY. A long history of friendship, informal alliances, and loose associations with the British led to formal treaties requiring the member states not to cede territory, nor enter into any agreement and to comply with British advice, save the practice of Islam, In return Britain guaranteed their protection, constitutional advice and assistance.

The Levant Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society. Vol. VII, No.6, September 2014 109

What was the Protectorate of South Arabia? see map on p.111. Nationalist pressure prodded the threatened rulers ofthe Aden Protectorate states to form the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South. Other states joined and in January 1963, the Colony of Aden was merged with the federation creating the new FSA. At the same time, the states which had not joined the federation became the Protectorate of South Arabia, thus ending the existence of the Aden Protectorate.

What was the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South? The Federation of Arab Emirates of the South was an organization of states within the British Aden Protectorate in what would become South Yemen. The Federation of six states was inaugurated in the British Colony of Aden in February 1959. It subsequently added nine states and in April 1962, became known as the Federation of South Arabia. This was joined by the Aden Colony in January 1963

see map on p. 112.

What was the Aden Protectorate? Formal treaties of protection eventually led to the formation of Aden Protectorate that extended east of Aden administratively divided as Eastern and Western Arab Protectorate. In exchange for British protection, the rulers of the constituent territories agreed not to enter into agreement with or cede territory to any other foreign power. Three states refused to join the FSA and became Eastern Arab Protectorate.[EAP]

Why did the three Eastern Arab Protectorate [EAP] sultanates not join the FSA? The predominant reason the Sultanates refusal to join the FSA was the belief that the discovery of oil deposits was imminent The Qu'aiti and Kathiri negotiated various attempts to establish oil exploration concessions with American firms early 1960s. There was no oil, but no one knew that at the time. Qu'aiti, the most powerful State of the Hadhrumart, saw no benefit because the Federation relied on Britain for finance while Qu'aiti had revenues which were unlikely to be returned to them in a Federation. The Sultans felt that defence ofthe EP was unlikely to be provided by Britain. The FSA was considered weak and unlikely to hold together. Sultanates don't generally federate. British officials vigorously expanded their imperialist influence into the the Protectorate during what was purportedly an era of decolonisation.

Why did the British want to stay and fight? The strategic geographical position of Port of Aden vis a vis the Persian oil fields was considered of great importance by the British. Though Yemen had no oil itself Britain by maintaining a presence in Southwest Arabia would be well positioned to defend and protect supplies of oil. Also post Suez anathema towards Nasser; a desire to maintain prestige and influence in the Middle East and a belief that retention of a role in SW Arabia was important to achieve this were part of the reason though the oil was predominant.


rl .... -:s-~

~ ? -:s-

s,", • •

Upper Yemen PROTECTORATE OF

SOUTH ARABIA

ARAB

100 11",.

FEDERATION OF

SOUTH ARABIA

0-/ cA e/ en

Jan 1965

Why did the British leave? The British lost control with rioting on the streets of Aden. Nasser's assertion that Britain backed Israel in the Six Day War led to a Police mutiny which spread to the Army. Eighteen British soldiers were killed. The NLF had defeated its rivals and was winning control both in Aden and the Hadhuramart. The British didn't leave; they ran away, thus betraying the FSA and its own Armed Forces. that Britain had no choice. The N LF won. The disenchantment of the peoples of southwest Arabia with Britain's role had leant ears to Nasser and his Arab nationalism.

KU'-,I'GDOM 0 SA'UDI A. ' 'A

o .ATIOHOl'

SOUTH ARAB IA

PROT C'TORAYa 0 "

SOUTH ,ARABI A

Britain's Forward Policy, which was essentially this series of constitutional initiatives, was designed to consolidate influence in Aden and its Protectorate and to counter Arab nationalism: it failed to do so. It had back-fired and promoted rather than hindered the growth of nationalism and the resolve to rid southwest Arabia of the British.

British officials' attitudes towards the indigent population did not help. Some treated Arab as

The Levant. Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society. Vol. VII, No.5 , May 2014 111

children, generally adopting a tutelage role or a schoolmasterly approach. Arab nationalist sentiment fed the populations discontent.

Besides which an impoverished Britain could not afford the cost of a prolonged conflict. Subsidies to Aden, the escalating cost of the Emergency; a fragile economy at home; their ostensible decolonisation commitments; the NLFs success all conspired to push Britain to withdraw. There was frustration because of Britain's failure to find a friendly regime to replace the British adminstration. The enemy was at the gate. The Commissioner Humphrey Trevelyan had no one to whom to hand over the keys. The NLFwas in control and the British had no option but to sign the country over to the NLF in secret. The People's Republic of Southern Yemen was declared 30th

November 1967. A thousand words and ten pictures cannot do justice to the complexities of the history of the

time but in can, I hope, draw a rough sketch.

WESTERN

EASTERN PROTECTORATE

': KATHIRI ';. ~\ != .-. : ~: . \ :" ~'j"U.., • • T4rim:

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ShlbdJl'l. ....

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ADEN PROTECTORATE

Philatelic History of the Arab Kingdom of Syria by Alexander Kaczmarczyk & Rodney Unwin

! THE IISRAElPHUAlIUsr Devoted to all phases of the

PhHate]Y of the J

Holy Land

f u]1 color journal p\Jblished

4 - 6 times a year

TI1S SOcisl:; or 1sr.3SI F11i ~:cel ~sl . Inc. ~'-Kp Product-s Co a 'f

5D :,e~0'I\' L:lr'l8. ~t.( ald. 0 4~051 - 415 hltp:i ra91S'!amps.com

year $2.3.00 3J 00 ~3.00

Extended and extensively revised second edition, 300 numbered copies, 154 pages, full colour, A4 size, softbound. £35.00 (p&p FREE to U.K. £7,50 Europe, £ 12,00 Worldwide)

ONEPS members price £28.00 Available from < www.balkanphila.com > * Please add ONEPS next to your name or address

for the discount.

112 The Levant. Journal of the Ottoman & Near East Philatelic Society. Vol. VII, No. 5, May 2014

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