Page 318 - UAE Truncal States

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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