Page 315 - Truncal States to UAE_Neat

Chapter Eight

which were suspected to be carrying slaves. An agreement which all
the rulers signed in 1847 made it illegal for any vessel belonging to
the territory of a signatory to export slaves from any place whatever;
detention on suspicion and confiscation of the vessel in case of guilt
were also agreed upon. In 1856 the Rulers also promised to seize and
deliver up to the British authorities in the Gulf any slaves which were
brought into their territories.37 The previous undertakings concern-
ing this issue were reiterated and reinforced in an agreement signed
by the Rulers of Sharjah and Abu Dhabi in 1873.

The littoral shaikhdoms under British eyes
These agreements concerning slavery and other agreements which
were concluded after the Perpetual Treaty of Peace in 1853 all
demonstrate that the British authorities found it increasingly
advantageous to be able to compel the Rulers of the littoral States to
comply with their wishes. The British also became more interested in
the internal affairs of the coastal shaikhdoms, and did not hesitate to
intervene if they felt it was necessary. The Native Agent in Sharjah,30
who acted on instructions from the Political Resident in Bushire, was
expected to report all important incidents and developments on the
coast, whether they affected the treaties and agreements, or British
interests. A new Ruler was always closely scrutinised to determine
whether he was likely to adhere to the treaties; only at the turn of the
century, however, was a system introduced whereby a new Ruler
received formal recognition by the British Government in India by
being sent a copy of the treaties which previous Rulers in that
shaikhdom had signed. If a Ruler incurred the displeasure of the
British Government by harbouring pirates or slavers in his ports or
by building up his defences when he had agreed not to, he ran a
serious risk of fines, or of bombardment by a British cruiser,
although this was usually resorted to only after warnings and
negotiations had brought about no change in altitude. Usually the
inhabitants of the port backed their shaikh in his defiance of the
British Government, but there were also occasions when Rulers lost
popular support because the pearling communities just wanted to
gel on with their work. Thus an atmosphere was slowly created in
which both the Rulers and the tribal population of the Trucial Coast
were conscious of the degree of British support or displeasure with
regard to any political event.
In later decades this distant British presence stifled the possible
incorporation of smaller principalities into one or two powerful

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