Page 477 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911_Neat

CHAPTER IX.

ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE TRUCIAL COAST OF OMATJ
FOR THE YEAR 1909.

The well-being, of the Trucial Coast is entirely dependent on the pros-
perity of the pearl fishery, and happily the straitened financial conditions
which prevailed last year were dispelled by the incidence of a successful
fishery and improved market this season. Moreover no serious dissensions
among the Chiefs of the maritime tribes occurred during 1909 to mar the
generally satisfactory situation.
The chief event of the year, from the local point of view, was the death
of the Shaikh of Abu Thabi, Zaid-bin-Khalifah, on the 19th of May. This
venerable Chief had been the doyen of the Trucial Chiefs for many years and
at the time of his death must have been close on 90 years of age. For the
last few years his faculties had been failing and he had become somewhat
tiresome and fractious to deal with both in his relations with the Residency
and the other Trucial Chiefs, who probably regard it as a not unmitigated
evil that Shaikh Zaid has been gathered to his fathers. He was succeeded
by his second son, Shaikh Tahnoon-bin-Zaid. The latter is unfortunately
a confirmed invalid, having practically lost the use of his lower limbs from
some form of paralysis. It is therefore the more creditableto him to have
been designated by his father and brothers as successor to the Shaikhdom.
His succession has been recognised by the Government of India in the usual
way.
The familiar “ Taona ” case came into evidence again during the year,
one of the three brothers credited with the murders, “ Gaithoo " by name,
having been captured on the pearl banks by H- M. S. “ Redbreast.” The pirate
violently resisted capture by the boarding party from His Majesty's ship, and
it was only after being stunned by a blow from the butt-end of Lieutenant
Blackman’s revolver that he ceased to give trouble- The new Chief of Abu
Tbabi having demurred to undertaking the responsibility or the pirate’s
custody pending an.attempt to catch his brothers, Gaithoo has been consigned
to durance in the Bahrain Agency until further orders.
The Abu Musa dispute continues to pursue its deliberate course, but it
is understood that just before the close
of the year, the German rejoinder to the
British arguments of July 1908 was received in London.
In February a definite application was made by Messrs. Strick for a
sample consignment of 400 tons of Abu Musa oxide urgently at 15s. 6d. per
ton; and on the understanding that the settlement of the German case would
Dot be prejudiced and that no oxide be handled on which Messrs. Wonckhaus
could claim any rights, the shipment was allowed by His Majesty’s Govern­
ment and arrangements made for the mining of the aforesaid consignment.
Dr. Listemann, German Consul at Bushire, who must have heard all about
the transaction, took no exception to it, but Herr Wassrauss, who relieved him
on his departure on furlough, protested against the shipment on the ground
that the excavation of fresh oxide was an encroachment on the rights of
Messrs. Wonckhaus. The Resident was instructed to take no notice of his
protest and the shipment was eventually made.
Subsequently, in August, the German Consulate requested permission to
remove to the beach for shipment a further quantity of the oxide already
mined. In reporting his agreement to the shipment under the standing
instructions of His Majesty’s Government, the Resident pointed out that
the German Government were protesting at the mining of the
for Messrs. Strick while still claiming to go on removing oxide themselves
whenever they pleased; that they were thus receiving preferential treatment