Page 310 - UAE Truncal States

The External /n/hiences

parties. Fortunately the interests of the tribes were considered in its
formulation, and so it also did not disillusion those among the Rulers
who were trying to exert their independence from the Qasimi
overlord.20
These Rulers had hoped that, with the assistance of the British, an
end could be brought to the constant disturbance to trading and
pearling which had embroiled most ports of the Gulf and Oman in an
inescapable sequence of strike and counterstrike which were usually
ad hoc piratical attacks on the current enemy. The treaty outlawed as
piracy violence on the high seas without a formal declaration of war
(articles 1 and 2). This promised a welcome breathing-space for the
hard-pressed tribes in the Gulf who had not enriched themselves by
attacking merchant vessels but who had been attacked themselves.
They in turn, either to save face or to try to recoup their losses, had
themselves turned on their attackers or had chosen an easier target.
The provisions of articles 3 to 6 were an attempt to enforce the treaty
by obliging the captains to identify themselves as coming from one of
the ports whose Rulers had signed the treaty. Each Ruler had a
different flag which his captains were required to fly, all were to use a
combination of red and white; they had to keep a log-book to show
where the ship was registered, the nature of its business and the
nationality of the crew; and they had to hold a clearance certificate
signed by the Ruler. Article 7 stressed again the condemnation of
piratical activities among themselves and called on the “friendly
Arabs” to take counter-measures, and it vaguely promised what
could be interpreted as a British obligation to police the Gulf.30 As
well as a more detailed description of the acts which were to be
considered outlawed, such as carrying slaves from the East African
coast,31 the treaty also contained an incentive to improve relations
with the British by stating that "the vessels of the friendly Arabs . .
shall enter into all British ports . .
The treaty was signed in January 1820 by nine Rulers, including
those who had first signed preliminary agreements: Hasan bin
Rahmah signed on the 8th at Ra’s al Khaimah, as did Qadlb bin
Ahmad of Jazlrah al Hamra’ two days later; Shakhbut bin Diyab of
Abu Dhabi signed on behalf of his son Tahnun on the 11th; Husain
bin' Ali of Rams signed on the 15th. They all came to Ra’s al Khaimah
for the occasion, but the uncle of Muhammad bin Hazza' of Dubai
signed on the 28th at Sharjah and the ruling shaikhs of Bahrain of
their own accord sent a representative to Sharjah who signed on the
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