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CHAPTER VII.
Administration Report for the Trucial Coast of Oman for tite year 1931
Personnel.—Khan Bahadur Isa bin Abdul Latif, O.B.E., held the post of
Residency Agent, Shargah, throughout the year.
Pearl Fisheries.—The pearl fishing operations on the Trucial coast commenced
on the 2nd April and lasted till the 20tli September The catch was not a good one,
and owing to the general depression of trade prices fell about 50 per cent. Even
at these prices, however, purchasers were not forthcoming and merchants were left
with large quantities of pearls on their hands. Since the pearl fisheries arc the
sole means of subsistancc of the inhabitants of the Trucial coast, acute economic
distress ensued. The poorer classes were reduced to the brink of starvation
(though as long as there are fish in the sea they can never actually starve), while
the mercantile class, captains of boats, etc., were in many cases unable to meet
their liabilities.
Aviation.—In last year’s report reference was made to the obstructive attitude
adopted by the Shaikh of Ras-al-Khaimah in connection with the .storage of petrol
for the Royal Air Force at that place. Since then no further difficulties have been'
experienced at Ras-al-Khaimah, though the Shaikh has displayed but little liking
for the presence of the barge. The flying boats of No. 203 (Flying Boat) Squadron
have, however, repeatedly landed at Ras-al-Khaimah throughout the year and on
two occasions Wapitis have also landed there. The Shaikh has maintained
guards over the petrol barge and has accepted payment for them but protested the
first time Wapitis landed there. His protests were, however, ignored.
During the summer discussions took place in London, at which the Hon’ble
the Political Resident was present, regarding the transfer of the Civil Air Route
from the Persian to the Arabian coast in the event of the Persian Government
refusing to extend Imperial Airways’ concession. The Political Resident expressed
the view that while the Shaikhs of the Trucial coast were frankly averse from
affording any facilities to civil aircraft, which they felt might involve the presence
of Europeans in their territories and interference in their internal affairs, it might
be possible to overcome their reluctance if they were offered a sufficiently large
pecuniary inducement, but that failing this it would be necessary for His Majesty’s
Government to authorise coercive measures. He was therefore instructed to sound
the Shaikhs of Ras-al-Khaimah and Umm-al-Qawain as to whether they would be
prepared to authorise the construction of a rest house in their territories and under­
take to protect Imperial Airways’ establishments in return for a suitable subsidy.
He accordingly proceeded to the Trucial coast in November, accompanied by Air
Vice-Marshal Ludlow-Hcwitt, Air Officer Commanding in Iraq. An examination
of the creek at Umm-al-Qawain, however, showed that it was unsuitable for air­
craft, and the Air Officer Commanding suggested as an alternative that facilities
should be sought from the Shaikh of Debai if the Shaikh of Ras-al-Khaimah was
unwilling to accord them. The latter was therefore approached in the first instance
but was entirely uncompromising, and stated that his price was half a lakh—a
figure which was, and was intended to be, prohibitive. The Political Resident,
therefore, proceeded to Debai, where Shaikh Said was in the first instance con­
ciliatory and stated that while he would have to consult his relatives, he thought it
would be possible to come to terms. Unfortunately just at that time he fell ill with
a very sharp attack of bronchitis and up to the end of the year no settlement had
been effected.
Debai.—Ruler: Shaikh Said bin Maktura bin Haskar. Though personally
very friendly, he is not a strong man, and stands in considerable fear of an influen­
tial faction of his family, who have in the past made attempts to depose him. In
October the Shaikh accompanied by his brother Juma, visited the Shaikhs of
Bahrain and Qatar, returning with the customary presents. The Shaikh of Debai
subsequently sent his brother Juma to Muscat to intercede on behalf of Shaikh
Hasan, ez-Shaikh of Khassab, who had been incarcerated for rebellion against the
Muscat State. It was subsequently arranged through the intervention of the
political authorities that Shaikh Hasan should be allowed to stay at Debai, the
Shaikh of Debai guaranteeing that he would not allow him to return to Kbassab.
After trial by the Sbara Courts and in accordance with the Koranic injunctions
the hand of one Salim bin Feroze was cut oil by orders of the Shaikh of Debai fof-