Coll 30/33 'Persian Gulf, Trucial Coast. Policy of H.M.G. List of Trucial Sheikhs' [‎339v] (678/818)

On the occasion of his visit in May, Air Commodore Burnett had explained
to Khan Bahadur Isa, the type of storehouse he required, and Khan Bahadur Isa
had offered to build it himself and lease it to the Royal Air Force for a small monthly
rent.
Khan Bahadur Isa now suggested that, as an added inducement, the Shaikh
might be asked to build the house and rent it to the Royal Air Force, To this
suggestion I agreed.
Khan Bahadur Isa has sent me the Shaikh’s reply to these last proposals,
I enclose a translation of the relevant extracts from his letter and a complete
translation of the Shaikh’s reply. It will be seen that he has absolutely refused to
allow the Royal Air Force any footing in Ras-al-Khaimah and, though he agreed
to their using the petrol which still remains in the dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. (about 1,000 gallons) he
asks that no more should be sent.
In my opinion there are several reasons for this refusal.
There is the personal one. The Shaikh is of an exceptionally aloof nature,
proud of his Arab nationality, and looks with contempt upon all foreigners—even
Khan Bahadur Isa ; who is a Perso-Arab originally from Kharag Island.
A more important reason is however to be found in the general policy of these
petty Arab Chiefs of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .
This is to-day the same as it was when Sir Percy Cox wrote his No. 1112 of
30th April 1911 to the Government of India after the “ Hyacinth ” affair at Dubai:
•“ The only specific and apparent outcome of the recent events is that the
Shaikh has become astute enough to make use of the “ Hyacinth ”
incident as a pretext for a professed inability to answer for the safety
of a European at Dubai, and thus indirectly to suggest to us that the
appointment of any British official ? whether for political or telegraph
work, is not feasible for the moment.
The Shaikh of Dubai (this applies to all the Shaikhs) does not welcome
the idea of doser British supervision. The Shaikh seeing that the
Hyacinth incident has provided him with a useful indirect
peg on which to air the sentiment, is making the most of the open?
ing afforded.”
The same distinguished 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. had also stated in his 87 of the 8th
January. 1911 :
If the location of a British Agent is deferred, it will be deferred indefinitely
and when the time is forced on us, there is no criterion that we shall
not have the same difficulty to face then as we have now ”.
Sir Percy Cox was discussing the question of a Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
or Telegraph station, but his statements are true to this day. They apply to any
European footing on the Coast, and have really gained force by delay.
imagine that the Hyacinth ’ incident taught us a lesson, and they
are fortified in this belief by the way we have acquiesced in the total exclusion of
Europeans from the Coast. Not a, single European is allowed to land—let alone
stay for a night on the Coast—without express permission from a Shaikh
previously obtained.
The Shaikh of Dubai refused to permit Mr. Rosenthal to visit Dubai in spite
of the big profit anticipated by pearl dealers from dealing direct with him.
They have also recently refused to allow the Anglo-Persian Oil Company to
open an agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. m their town. r j
Finally one of the reasons I have heard given for the events in Dubai last
April is that a false story was circulated that Mr. Straw, of the Standard Oil Com
pany, was staying in the town for the night, with the permission of Shaikh Saeed.
The Shaikhs consider their policy has kept the Oman Coast free and inde
pendent in spite of occasional discipline from the Navy.
1 hey think that any weakening in this policy would mean the beginning of
the end. they are united in no other matter but in this alone, though I do not
say it is impossible to dissolve the bond.