Page 28 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

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(b.) The Trucial Chiefs.0
The British Government maintain no Political Ollleor
in “Trucial” territory, but a Nativo ,\gont in tho
employ of the Busliire Residency i'h atntionod at
Shargidi, nnd moves from place to plnce as is required.
The so-called “ Trucial Chiefs,” who rule
over the Jownsmi, A1 bu Ali and Beni Yas tribes,
are six in number, and they respectively reside
at Ras-el-Khcimah, Amulgavino, Ajman, Shar-
gah, Dubai, and Abu Dlhabi. All these places
are situated on tho Pirate Coast, which is part of
tho Arabian littoral of the Persian Gulf, and
i
extends from a point between Tibba and Shunui
to El Odcid. Tho Shoikh of Shnrgah also claims
authority over the coast-line on the Gulf of Oman
from Khor Knlba as far ns ltus Dibba, on tho
ground that it is part of the territories of the
Joasim tribe*.
These Chiefs are called tho “Trucial Chiefs” AUcliixmV
Treaties, Vt.l. X
on account of the Treaties of Maritime Truce
concluded with them between 1835 and 1853, by
which their interneoinc strife upon the sea was
stopped.
They are nil now independent, and since tho
isolation of tho "Vrahabces in tho highlands, they
have been exempted from the tribute or black­
mail for the payment of which they were
formerly directly or indirectly liable to tho
Wahabec Chief of A'ejd.
In the beginning of last century an expedition
•was sent to the Persian Gulf to, puuisli the
Jowasmi for certain aggressions on British ships,
and to co-operate with the Inmm of Muscat who
was then at war with them. Tho expedition
resulted in the conclusion of a Treaty in
February 1800, binding them to respect the
flag and property of the British, nnd to assist
vessels touching on their coast. This Treaty
appears to have been concluded without refer­
ence to the Wahabecs.
The spread of the ‘Wahabccs in Oman soon
threatened the lluler of Muscat with destruction,
and the British Government determined to snp-
2>ort him, and to destroy the piratical fleets as
the only means of preserving the peace of the
Gulf. A strong force was dispatched in 1S0D,
which took Ras-el-Khcimali and other places
and destroyed the boats of tho pirates.
Kotwithstanding these measures, piracy in­
creased to an intolerable extent, and an expedi-
• A report on this subject by CkIoiu-I KemUill will U*
found in “ Persia and Arabia,” Part 12, p, U-lu (March 11>03).