Page 178 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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I
The calls have since been maintained with some interruptions, though the
company would probably be,glad to be relieved of the obligation to make them. : =
No reaffirmation of these assurances was asked for by the Ruler when the Civil
Air Agreement of 1951 was signed but on the other hand they have never been
withdrawn and must presumably be regarded as still in force. The 1932 agreement
contained no mention of the installation of a wireless station. The Ruler was
subsequently informed that it was proposed to erect one. He objected that it was
not mentioned in the agreement and was given “ a suitable soothing reply.”( ‘ )
123. In 1936 after prolonged negotiations involving the recognition of Kalba
as an independent State (paragraph 23 above), its Ruler entered into an agreement
granting facilities for a landing-ground for a period of 12 years in return for a
payment of Rs. 400/- a month.C3') It was not stated whether the facilities were
to be enjoyed by civil or Royal Air Force aircraft and the agreement was
presumably intended to cover both. A landing-ground was constructed for
emergency purposes only. As it was no longer required in 1948, the agreement
was not renewed when it expired in that year.
124. In 1937 the Ruler of Dubai entered into an agreement for the
establishment of a landing base on the Dubai creek by Imperial Airways who wished
to introduce a flying-boat service.(I3*) Its period was for one year and the Ruler
was to receive Rs. 440/- a month rent, which was to include the pay of guards,
and a landing charge of Rs. 5/- for any aircraft. In 1938 a further agreement was
entered into with the Ruler for a period of five years.0”) It followed the lines of
the previous agreement except that the rent was raised to Rs. 940/- a month.
125. In 1938, 1939 and 1940 there were internal troubles in Dubai which led
in 1940 to hostilities between Dubai and Sharjah (paragraph 20 above). In order
to ensure the safety of the Sharjah landing-ground and the Dubai marine landing-
base the Political Agent, Bahrain, used every means short of actual force on each
occasion to effect a settlement and restore law and order—the earliest concrete
instance of the change of policy which the establishment of landing-grounds in the
Trucial Coast entailed. In 1938 flying-boats were diverted to Ras al Khaimah as
it was held that their landing there was covered by the agreement obtained from
its Ruler in 1930 (paragraph 113 above). Rather surprisingly the Ruler not only
raised no objection but afforded every assistance. The war of 1940 between Dubai
and Sharjah did not interfere with air traffic as it was of a static nature and only
lasted for a few weeks.
126. In 1941 in the special circumstances of the war permission was granted
for the landing of individual flights of Dutch (K.L.M.) commercial aircraft at
Sharjah.
127. In 1943 the Rulers of Dubai and Sharjah both agreed to the renewal
of their Civil Air Agreements for a further period of five years. The latter made
a request for more rent, which was not granted, and also called attention to the
fact that, in spite of His Majesty’s Government’s undertaking (paragraph 122
above), no mail steamer had’called at Sharjah for nearly a year.(m) This matter
was rectified.
128. In 1946, as a result of the signature of the Chicago Air Agreements by
His Majesty’s Government, it became necessary to ask all the Gulf Rulers to grant
rights to foreign aircraft. Sharjah and Dubai were asked to agree to His Majesty’s
Government’s according such rights to foreign aircraft on their behalf as they
might consider necessary and the other Trucial States’ Rulers were asked to accord
the same rights to foreign aircraft which fiy over or land in their territory as were
accorded by His Majesty’s Government under international agreement to foreign
aircraft which might fly over or land in British territory.C*1) All the Rulers agreed.
129. In 1946 the subsidy payable to the Ruler of Sharjah under the Civil Air
Agreement was increased to Rs. 800/- a month and the landing fee to Rs. 10/- for
each aircraft. Increases were also made in the rent and the pay of the guards.

("*) I O. to F.O. P.Z. 4194/32 of July 14. 1932 (E 3558/98/91 of 1932).
( ) I.O. to F.O. P.Z. 5708/32 of September 23. 1932 (E 4877/98/91 of 1932).
< > O. to F.O. P.Z. 7109/36 of August 31. 1936 (E 6397/377/91 of 1936).
( ’) I.O.toF.O. P.Z. 4103/37 of June 26. 1937 (E 3518/248/91).
J. P-z-4168/58 of June 17. 1938 (E 3614/59/91 of 1938).
)J-O. to F.O. Ext. 6114/43 of November 8. 1943 (W 16131/4020/802 of 1943).
( - ) I.O. to F.O. Ext. 3496 of May 24. 1946 (W5878/5609/802) of 1946