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The External /n/hiences

        parties. Fortunately the interests of the tribes were considered in its
        formulation, and so it also did not disillusion those among the Rulers
        who were trying to exert their independence from the Qasimi
        overlord.20
          These Rulers had hoped that, with the assistance of the British, an
        end could be brought to the constant disturbance to trading and
        pearling which had embroiled most ports of the Gulf and Oman in an
        inescapable sequence of strike and counterstrike which were usually
        ad hoc piratical attacks on the current enemy. The treaty outlawed as
        piracy violence on the high seas without a formal declaration of war
        (articles 1 and 2). This promised a welcome breathing-space for the
        hard-pressed tribes in the Gulf who had not enriched themselves by
        attacking merchant vessels but who had been attacked themselves.
        They in turn, either to save face or to try to recoup their losses, had
        themselves turned on their attackers or had chosen an easier target.
        The provisions of articles 3 to 6 were an attempt to enforce the treaty
        by obliging the captains to identify themselves as coming from one of
        the ports whose Rulers had signed the treaty. Each Ruler had a
        different flag which his captains were required to fly, all were to use a
        combination of red and white; they had to keep a log-book to show
        where the ship was registered, the nature of its business and the
         nationality of the crew; and they had to hold a clearance certificate
        signed by the Ruler. Article 7 stressed again the condemnation of
        piratical activities among themselves and called on the “friendly
        Arabs” to take counter-measures, and it vaguely promised what
        could be interpreted as a British obligation to police the Gulf.30 As
        well as a more detailed description of the acts which were to be
        considered outlawed, such as carrying slaves from the East African
        coast,31 the treaty also contained an incentive to improve relations
         with the British by stating that "the vessels of the friendly Arabs . .
         shall enter into all British ports . .
           The treaty was signed in January 1820 by nine Rulers, including
         those who had first signed preliminary agreements: Hasan bin
         Rahmah signed on the 8th at Ra’s al Khaimah, as did Qadlb bin
         Ahmad of Jazlrah al Hamra’ two days later; Shakhbut bin Diyab of
         Abu Dhabi signed on behalf of his son Tahnun on the 11th; Husain
         bin' Ali of Rams signed on the 15th. They all came to Ra’s al Khaimah
         for the occasion, but the uncle of Muhammad bin Hazza' of Dubai
         signed on the 28th at Sharjah and the ruling shaikhs of Bahrain of
         their own accord sent a representative to Sharjah who signed on the
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