'File No: E.7. Qatar & Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1913' [‎168r] (350/460)

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4. Tl.e next clay Major Keyes and I risiW the Shaikh, and referring to
Clauses IX and X of the draft treaty, I asked him to describe without reserre
difficulties of his position of which we had already heard some thin or • and
to make any suggestions he wished as to the help we might eive him. He said
in reply that his cousins and elder brother, Khalifah, were enrious of his
positiou, and always ready to intrigue againsr him with Abu Dhabi, an ancient
enemy, or others, whenever opportunity offered. I suggested that a treatv
between him and His Majesty's Government would bring them to see the
necessity of abandoning this course; and he admitted their fear of reprisals by
us in the event of an attack upon him, but added that they ha^ alreadv tried to
employ the recent events at Doha, in connection with the Turkish garrison, as
a means to set local opinion against him on account of his leanings towards
us . I asked what the effect upon the people had been. He admitted that
it had not amounted to much, and that these enemies could not injure him
to any great extent without help from outside, upon which I pointed out that
Abu Dhabi, being bound by the undertakings we hav^ read yesterday, could
not take steps against him without coming directly into contact with us,
provided that Katar had likewise joined the signatories. I questioned the
Snaikh regarding bis fighting strength and that of his unfriendly relations,
and was told that he was only afraid of a field-piece which is in the possession
of his brother Khalifah, who has a small estate on the shore about 4 miles
north of the port of Dona. He asked whether Government would give him
a Turkish or some other gun superior to Khalifah's, which, though service
able, is of old type, and I promised to refer the request in due course.
Shaikh Abdullah then went at great length into tbe provisions of Clauses
IX and X of the draft treaty, and put up various hypothetical cases in order
to find out, as nearly as possible, the extent to which Government would be
prepared to support him by land. I represented that I had not the power to
Lv exactlv what Government would do in any particular case, but pointed to
the satisfactory condition of Chiefs who had committed themselves entirely to
us and showed that the extent of our support would depend upon that of his
confidence in us and the loyalty or otherwise with which he earned out his
obligations. This explanation was accepted as satisfactory.
A leno-thv discussion then took place upon tbe other clauses of the
treatv, particularly upon that relating to the admission of British traders.
The Shaikh had evidently given deep consideration to this subject, but could
not bring himself to agree to the insertion of Clauses 1\ , \ and \ iii. i
used every possible argument, but without avail.
In regard to the Arms Traffic, the Shaikh asked what he should do in the
event of a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. filled with arms for sale arriving at is port a. e
undertaken to join in the suppression of the traffic. I ' t u e „ Tms
discussion, that he could either send tbe boat awa\, or c . .
wbicb could be set against the number allowed for yearly imporuuon, a^ He
wished
Shaikh Abdullah then intimated that he ^ditk^W
(and to publish the pr^lamation £S ar ^ lD f ' 16 f t " en-a -cments with the
Clauses 1,11, VI, VII, IX and X and tbose ot the enga^ ^
Trucial Chiefs which are not peculiar to one or more »
tion of Article VI of the <4 General Treaty ".
5. In conclusion, I asked the Shaikh to gire me a reply for Government
in his own words. He said:— ,. , t
" Please tell them that I will gladly a ble to accept
you have put to me, and that I am very S0Il - v * n res identt in my country at
British or any other foreign subjects aft permanent ^ sl ^ p^ple are not'yet
present. 1 would welcome them gladly afriid
Bufficiently civilised, nor is my rule sufficient y , trUC J 0Ilt if i allowed
of serious trouble, WDicb could only end in ms temporary
foreigners in row. You may add. however, ^ Government
difiicultv which i hope a few years will remove, 1 present, to consider
*iU allow Clauses IV, V and VIII to stand over for the P^, „
them again later and to accept them at as ear,