Page 322 - UAE Truncal States

The External Influences

had for many years tried lo obtain formal recognition from the British
Government, finally succeeded when PCL pul pressure on the British
Government, as they wanted to have a free hand for oil exploration
throughout the entire east coast; thus in 1952 Fujairah became a
Trucial Stale and the last of PCL’s agreements for this area was
signed with Shaikh Muhammad bin Hamad. This brought the
number back lo a total of seven Trucial States after Kalba had been
re-incorporated into Sharjah in 1951.

The use of other facilities
The signing of oil concessions turned out lo be the most significant of
the considerable number of activities which the British Government
had introduced on the coast since the turn of the century. Over the
centuries the British interests in India grew from trading posts lo an
empire with all its complex requirements for supply and communi­
cations with the mother country. In the course of this process it
became increasingly desirable to have the use of territories adjacent
to the approach routes lo India for the establishment of coaling
stations, watering points, secure harbours and more recently tele­
graph communications.59 Facilities were also required for the British
Indian Post Office60 and the Royal Navy to position markers for
surveys, and possibly lo use some of the creeks as bases. The British
India Steam Navigation Company’s calls on the coast after 1902 also
became symbolic of the British presence.
The facilities which the British authorities had acquired, together
with the continued British involvement in the prevention of armed
incidents at sea and the special protection which the Government
gave to Indian merchants, enabled the British Government to inter­
vene in the affairs of any Trucial shaikhdom whenever it wished.
Because of the increasing variety of its interests, it did indeed
intervene quite frequently after the turn of the century. This was
facilitated primarily by the continuous contact of the Residency
Agent in Sharjah with everything that went on in the coastal towns.
Supporting him, there was the authority of the Political Resident
with naval power at his disposal.
As had been the practice for many decades of the 19th century, on
occasions when it was considered to be the only way to affirm British
authority, the prominent buildings and the fortifications of a coastal
Ruler’s possessions were bombarded in the 20th century too. On
other occasions fines were imposed and payments obtained under
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