Page 389 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911
P. 389

CHAPTER VIII.

           ADMINISTRATION REPORT FOR THE TRUCIAL COAST FOR THE
                     NINE MONTHS ENDING 31st DECEMBER 1908.


               The period dealt with in this report has been uneventful in Trucial Oman. Trucfci
           The chief difficulties have been caused by the bad condition of the pearl0l
           market and the consequent inability of the merchants to meet their liabilities.
               The principal case of this nature was the bankruptcy of one Ali bin Abu Thaw.
           Abeid bin Nasir at Abu Thabi. The Sheikh from the first assumed an
           obstructive attitude in the case. In May the Political Resident visited Abu
           Thabi but was unable to induce the Sheikh to recede from his contention that
           all real property of an absconding bankrupt became the property of the
           ruling Sheikh. The question of coercing the Sheikh was referred to the
           Government of India, but it was decided that a further effort should be made
           to settle the case by persuasion. It may be as well to mention that since
           the end of the year another effort has been made in this direction. It was
          however unsuccessful as the Sheikh is insensible to argument. The question
          will be taken up again as soon as opportunity offers. The Sheikh’s attitude
          has been rendered thus obstructive by his failure to obtain redress for his
          subjects in the notorious “ Taona ” case. The Sheikh invariably drags out
          this case as a grievance and by reason of it his attitude in regard to all
          claims of British subjects has been unsatisfactory.
              The peace negotiated in June 1907 between the Sheikhs of Abu Thabi
          and Umm-el-Kowein, though once or twice strained, has endured up to the
          present and affairs in the Hinterland have been quiet.
              The progress of the Abu Musa oxide question has been noticed in the
          general report.
              After some vacillation and one or two abortive appointments, Sheikh
          Suggar nominated his uncle Sheikh Salim to be his deputy at Ras-el-Kheima
          in succession to his son Sheikh Khalid bin Suggar who died of consumption
          on 17th March 1908.
              Sheikh Suggar renewed his treaty with the Sheikh of Umm-el-Kowein.
              Debai has continued to prosper and the town is rapidly extending.  The Deb*i.
          Sheikh’s attitude has been on the whole satisfactory, but he is a weak and
          uncertain ruler.
              In December, Mr. Akers (delegate of the Board of Trade) visited Debai
          and was considerably impressed by its possibilities.
              Nothing worthy of note occurred in these towns and the conduct of the Ajm*n «nd
          Sheikhs has been satisfactory.                                      Kowi£'

                                                         P. Z. COX, Major,
                                           Political Resident in the Persian Gulf,
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