Page 152 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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to ensure the safety of British subjects. Even after 1932 although political officers
interfered more to bring about the peaceful settlement of dynastic and inter-State
quarrels no attempt was made to preserve order by force. In 1940 the safety of the
aerodrome at Sharjah was imperilled by a war between Dubai and Sharjah and
from 1945 to 1948 there were hostilities between Dubai and Abu Dhabi involving
many casualties and incidentally the shooting up of a British Political Officer, but
though in both cases every effort was made to bring about a settlement no attempt
was made to compel the parties to keep the peace.
6. The Trucial Coast was not affected by the Second World War except for
the shortage of supplies. Arrangements were made through the Middle East
Supply Centre for the import in bulk of wheat and other commodities which were
distributed by a committee of local merchants under the supervision of the Political
Officer or Residency Agent. The margin of profit left over after distribution was
credited to the Dubai Hospital Fund (paragraph 150 below). The Rulers
contributed to the Fighter Fund and the Rulers of Sharjah and Dubai willingly
granted to the Royal Air Force all the facilities they required without payment.
7. In 1948 the number of abductions into slavery and raids by tribal gangs
on traffic on the roads leading into the interior, in which British political officers
and oil company representatives were from time to time involved, led to the
consideration of a proposal to raise a small force of levies for the maintenance of
law and order in the Trucial Coast. After prolonged discussion the establishment
of such a force at the expense of His Majesty’s Government was approved and it
came into being in 1951. This step marked a radical change of policy, viz., the
assumption by Her Majesty’s Government of responsibility for the maintenance of
law and order in Trucial Oman not only by sea but also on land.
8. In 1951 His Majesty’s Government decided that in view of their
responsibility for the external affairs of the States and their consequent liability to
answer internationally for them they were under an obligation to take such steps
as were possible, (a) to ensure that their internal affairs are conducted as efficiently
as possible, and to prevent such abuses as could justifiably invite external criticism,
and (b) to promote their progressive development in all fields. They accordingly
approved a proposal for the formation of a Council of the Rulers of the States in
order to achieve joint action by them in administrative and other fields. At the
same time the Political Resident was instructed to encourage the Rulers to extend
their control more directly over the territory of the tribes which could justly be
regarded as owing them allegiance, but it was considered that action to this end
should be taken in the first place by the Rulers themselves without the intervention
of the Trucial Oman Levies.O
9. In the instructions issued in 1953 to the new incumbent of the post of
Political Resident the objectives of Her Majesty’s Government in the Trucial States
are defined as follows: —
(i) to maintain their position on the basis of existing treaties and usage;
(ii) to determine as soon as possible the boundaries between the Trucial States
and Saudi Arabia in such manner as to establish the justifiable claims
of the Rulers against Saudi encroachment, and to determine the
boundaries of the Trucial States inter se and with Muscat:
(iii) to foster good relations and mutual co-operation between the Rulers with
the ultimate object of achieving some measure of federation;
(iv) to assist the oil companies in the exploitation of their concessions on land
and off shore;
(v) to improve the administration of the States and in particular to bring
about the expansion of the health services, the abolition of slavery and
the development of natural resources.O
II.—Internal Affairs
(a) Abu Dhabi
10. The Ruler Shaikh Shakhbut bin Sultan succeeded on the murder of his
uncle Saqr in 1928. He did not commit the murder himself but was presumably
privy to it, as Saqr had succeeded on murdering Shakhbut’s father Sultan in 1926.
The Shaikhdom of Abu Dhabi changed hands three times as the result of murders
(*) F.O. to P.R. Despatch 47 (EA 1017/3) of April 2, 1951.
(4) F.O. to P.R. Despatch 125 (EA 1053/8) of July 24, 1953.