Coll 30/9 'Persian Gulf: Administration Reports 1926-1938' [‎361r] (726/1028)

Shaikh Said bin Maktum has been very friendly during the past year, and his
co-operation and assistance can always be counted upon. He is much the most
intelligent of the Trucial Shaikhs.
Hamtiyah ,—Headman : Shaikh Abdur Bahman bin Saif.
This chief continues friendly. He was one of those who endeavoured to
mediate when difficulties arose with the Shaikh of Ras-al-Khaimah.
Ras-al-Khaimah .—Ruler : Shaikh Sultan bin Salim.
During his visit to the Trucial coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. on the 1st May 1930, the Hon'ble 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. informed the ruler of Ras-al-Khaimah that the British Govern
ment intended replacing a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. containing fuel for the Royal Air Force which had
been moored in the creek for more than a year past by an iron dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. . The Shaikh
did not at the time raise any serious objection. On the 21st May therefore H. M. S.
“ Cyclamen towed the barge to the creek. The Shaikh however refused to allow
it to be brought up the creek and collected some bedouins from the interior with
a view to offering a forcible resistance. Some of the other Trucial Shaikhs came
to Ras-al-Khaimah to endeavour to effect a settlement but without result, and
finally the Shaikh informed 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 that he would not accept any
further responsibility for his life. The latter therefore took refuge on board one
of His Majesty’s ships. -
The Hon’ble 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. arrived at Ras-al-Khaimah on the 1st June
by flying boat and transferred to H. M. S. u Triad Shaikh Salim refused to call
on board the ship and the efforts of other Shaikhs to make him do so were unsucces-
ful.
Pressure was ultimately brought to bear upon the Shaikh by detaining 8
pearling dhows belonging to his town and by cutting off food supplies to Ras-al-
Khaimah by sea. The pressure was increased by a spontaneous threat by the
Shaikh of Dibha to attack Ras-al-Khaimah if he would not come to terms with the
British Government. Finally after protracted discussions extending over nearly
a fortnight, during which period the Shaikh refused to visit 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.
and negotiations were carried on chiefly through his cousin the Shaikh of Shargah,
an agreement was signed by the Shaikh of Ras-al-Khaimah under which—
(i) he agreed to the petrol barge being located in his creek for a period of
one year during which subsequent arrangements for the storage
of petrol would be discussed ;
(ii) The Royal Air Force were to be entitled to refill the barge whenever
necessary;
(in) the Shaikh accepted full responsibility for the safety of 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.
The Shaikh’s brother also agreed to compensate 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
for any damage that might have been done to his date gardens..
In November, owing to the Shaikh having again refused to call on the Political
Resident, the iron barge was moved about a mile further up the creek of Ras-al-
Khaimah and moored opposite 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’s house.
In November a Haiderabadi’s shop was broken into and money and articles
removed. The Shaikh has so far failed to trace and punish the culprit. *
Shargah .—Ruler : Shaikh Sultan bin Saqar.
An oppressive and unpopular ruler, whose conduct of late both towards the
British authorities and his own people has been very unsatisfactory. He certainly
encouraged the Shaikh of Ras-al-Khaimah in his opposition to the barge while
the following incidents are typical of his conduct towards his subjects. He became
enamoured of the wife of one of his subjects and more or less compelled her husband
to divorce her and then married her himself. An Arab pearl dealer of Shargah
having failed to pay his liabilities was imprisoned by the Shaikh : when his subjects
protested against this treatment he took Rs. 6,000 from the man and released him.
In September a dispute arose between Shaikh Sultan bin Saqar and his brother
who was living in straitened circumstances. To avoid bloodshed the Shaikh
sanctioned payment of Rs. 700 per annum to each of his brothers, Rashid and
Hamad, sons of Saqar.