'Negotiations with Ibn Saud regarding Boundaries of Saudi Arabia' [‎5r] (9/40)

Secret
3/35/50.
\uu tdlfl
The British Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
Sharjah.
24th Marchi850
7-1
1‘S)
/
O
o
Ko douht, hy this time, Thesiger will have been
to see you in Bahrain.
2 . He told me when I saw him that there is a grave
danger that the Saudis might soon try to fill the yac
-uum which exists in Buraimi# I admit the possioility
of his sympathy for the Al Bu Balah causing^him to try
to get H.M.G. to connive in Zaid ! s territorial amhiu
-ions in that part of the world and the further possih
-ility that he would use the Saudi threat to encourage
ns to do so. I have, however, from another source, heard
that Saqr hin Sultan o f the Haim is in touch with the
Saudis with a view to obtaining their support. An aoky
-nowledgment hy Saqr that Saudi overlordship existedin
his part of Buraimi would certainly destroy our thesis
that the Buraimi area came under the control of Muscat.
I am afraid that the failure of the mission of Saiyid
Ahmed last year has proved to he a clear demonstration
of the inability of Muscat to rule in those areas, even
in theory. , , , oorTOT .
3. Meanwhile, the Al Bu Shamis are supposed to be eager
to accept Abu I3habi domination, ^and if ail is discovered
in Shakhbut's territory, they will no doubt definite y
do so. This would represent the defection of yet anot)
Muscat! can geen> Sulairaan Mn Hamir of the
Jebel Akhdhar has fallen out with the Imam
to have a taste for wine), ^nd went so c4>
ret Thesiger to ask H.M.G. to recfognize his independence
5 Asregards the Mezwa area itself, it appears by no
means^impossible that the Sultan might he elected Imam
«4inQ+ +Vip pntrv of Christians into their te^-r iy x
that "secondly, whilst the Sultan may not be without
and that seconux^, m + _ aroudd Hezwa where til
hopes of M®M^ 9 the’f« eigne? is ^i^I strong, he can
hardly S hope n to have any jurisdiction either as Imam or
af SultaP over the Jehel Akhdhax, Dhank , Hafit and
r^S^e^ould appear to he some danger^that th^Saudi
government a | 6 ^^yacuim between the Jehel
off their own hat, fill th^ Buraimi. The only
^Uvt y e ^^ a ^^y| a ^o^fac?'in a the 0 near^future
the fill If their present attitude.it would
competitors, in view ox o ^ doing, w/e
he sorn ® w ^M^f?rpMe? to become difficult and uncoop
increase Shakhhi P March, however, the
-erative. In f" me of the difficulties
Shaikh complained hi t j have rifles was causing
Wi ioh our refusal y. ^M^^^Muid not he considered
him. 1 repli^ that M honourably in the matter of
until he decided to behave ^ to hope that our
hi d boundary to heel. There might
‘’ >i *
J* SfSS! al.. at variance vlth ay L.O.
i
106-0213 of 24th January.
n&T PMLLY ES'J.. G .B.E.
Cf Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. Bahrain.
^•73.
i
o
<Y
‘'O
vO
t-