Page 318 - UAE Truncal States
P. 318

The External Jn/Iucnees
         proved, the Resident made the Ruler pay compensation to the
         aggrieved parly and he might threaten to levy a fine. In some
         instances a fine was even collected from the Ruler there and then, but
         usually only a first instalment was required immediately, the rest
         being waived for subsequent good conduct. In extreme cases of what
         was termed “insubordination”, such as when a shaikhdom built up
         its fortifications and threatened war with its neighbours, the
         cruiser’s cannon would after several warnings bombard fortifi­
         cations, watchtowers and even the town. In later decades, when the
         growing trade in pearls attracted an increasing number of merchants
         from the Indian subcontinent, many of whom settled in a town on the
         Trucial Coast, the protection of these British Indian lives and their
         property became one of the most frequent pretexts for intervention.41



         4 Political benefits of the British influence
         Although the British Government of India had established a strong
         hold over the Trucial Coast42 primarily to rid British shipping from
         danger in the Gulf, this turned out to be very much to the advantage
         of the British towards the end of the 19th century, when the empire at
         its zenith was threatened by France and Russia agreeing to curb
         British influence in the Gulf. While France tried to wrest the Arab
         States from British influence, Russia concentrated mainly on Persia.
         As previously in Napoleonic times, Oman was again the object of an
         Anglo/French diplomatic race for influence and the British ex­
         perienced several set-backs.43 Not so with the Trucial States, where
         hardly a foreigner who was not a British subject had set foot
         ashore.44 The Rulers were easily persuaded to sign an agreement
         similar to the one which was signed by Sultan Turki bin Faisal in
         Muscat in 1891. In this treaty, which was signed by the Rulers of Abu
         Dhabi, Dubai, 'Ajman, Sharjah, Ra’s al Khaimah and Umm al
         Qaiwain between 6 and 8 March 1892, they agreed on behalf of
         themselves and their heirs and successors “not to enter into any
         agreement or correspondence with any Power other than the British
         Government”. They bound themselves not to let a representative of
         another government reside in their territory and on no account to
         “cede, sell, mortgage or otherwise give for occupation any part of
         Itheir] territory except to the British Government".45 These agree­
         ments were ratified by the Viceroy of India and subsequently
         approved by Her Majesty’s Government in London.

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