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'Future Policy on the Trucial Coast. Correspondence between the Secretary of State for India, the Government of India, and the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (1929)' [‎104r] (9/10)

The record is made up of 1 file (5 folios). It was created in 23 Oct 1929. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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9
protect their friendly Shaikhs by armed force against attack by land or sea. The
position of the drucial principalities, which have a hinterland of desert, should make
this a comparatively easy task, but it is an unfortunate fact that the closer the contact
with the British power the more defenceless do the rulers become and, consequently,
the more dependent on British support.
This, however, is for the future. For the present, in connection with the air
route, I anticipate no great trouble in obtaining store-houses for petrol, but
difficulties will increase when we demand wireless stations manned by a permanent
staff. The Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent is sufficient to meet the initial demands of the lloyal
Air Force, but as these increase the need for a resident 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. will increase.
He will have to be appointed eventually, but I recommend that an attempt be made
to prepare the way for the appointment.
17. Jo sum up: (1) The system of succession by murder, however inhuman,
does not of itself necessarily lend to undue insecurity, as it is purely a family concern.
Ho may deprecate it, but, except at the cost of interference in internal affairs, the
final result of which cannot be forecasted, we cannot prevent it. I myself made a
slight move during my last visit to the coast by addressing a letter to each Shaikh, in
which I stated that fratricide was abhorrent to God and man, and asked their
assistance in suppressing it by themselves refusing to acknowledge the succession of
a fratricide. The Shaikhs one and all agreed with me in the polite Arab fashion, but
1 do not anticipate any great result from this pronouncement.
(2) At present there is no undue interference on the coast. We have certain
duties to perform in connection with the slave trade and the protection of British
subjects, and it is only in connection with the performance of these duties that we
interfere.
(J) The projected air service down the coast has brought the time for the
establishment of a 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. at Dubai considerably nearer; but as a first step
the people should be familiarised with the prospect by frequent visits of a British
officer in the despatch boat which is absolutely necessary to carry out this scheme.
(3) 1 he Shaikhs of the frucial Goast are well disposed, provided we confine our
selves to the sea, but are extremely jealous of European penetration, which they see
must ultimately lead to the extinction of their independence. Every Shaikh, however
well disposed he may be personally, must consider the junta and must walk warily,
ihe coastal Shaikhs are by no means devoid of the avarice of the Semites, but thanks
to the pearl trade they are not in the same state of poverty as the Shaikhs uf the Aden
Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. area, and consequently their price is much higher.
(5) I do not recommend the immediate appointment of a 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. to reside
on the coast unless His Majesty’s Government is forced to adopt this course by the
urgent demands of the Arab air route.
(6)^1 can suggest no means of excluding Wahabi propaganda except self-interest.
An infidel 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. will never be able to withstand the agents of an
all-conquering Bin Sand ; but a population accustomed to the luxuries of life will not
wish to be subjected to Wahabi fanaticism.
p population had acquired a taste for the advantages of civilisation and the
lolir.ical Agent interferes no mere than is absolutely necessary to protect British
interests, ihe 1 racial (’oast should defy Wahabi propaganda just as our fleet and Air
force can repulse a military attack. If the inhabitants remain in their present
backward state, I see no remedy against propaganda except the word of Bin Sand and
the playing off of Ghafiri against Hanawi. We can, if we wish, make ourselves
extremely unpleasant to the Trucial Shaikhs and their subjects; indeed, by cutting
<)ff supplies and the seizure of pearling dhows we can kill all these small principalities,
but by proceeding to extremes we certainly run a risk of antagonising world opinion’
which appears to be on the look out for any stick which offers for beating the British
-Empire.
1 have, Ac.,
C. 0. J. Batik bit, Lieut.-Col.,
Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
[P.T.O.

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The file contains a note written by John Gilbert Laithwaite of the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. introducing enclosed correspondence between the Secretary of State for India, the Government of India, and the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. concerning the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. policy of His Majesty's Government.

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Extent and format
1 file (5 folios)
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This file consists of a single memorandum.

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Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 100, and terminates at f 104, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

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English in Latin script
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'Future Policy on the Trucial Coast. Correspondence between the Secretary of State for India, the Government of India, and the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (1929)' [‎104r] (9/10), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B419, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100029571311.0x00000a> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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