Page 29 - The Persian Gulf Historical Summaries (1907-1953) Vol IV_Neat

23

tiou was therefore dispatched to the Persian
Gulf, under Sir W. Grant Keir, in 1819 for the
purpose of completely crushing them.
In 1820 tho first general Treaty was signed
between the British Government and tho Chiefs,
and of these or similar Agreements there have been
in all no fewer than eight. In 1839 the Maritime
Truce was concluded, and was renewed from
lime to time until tho year 1853, when it was
succeeded by the Treaty of Perpetual Peace
which has lasted ever since. Under that Treaty
it was provided that there should bo a complete
cessation of hostilities at sea between the sub­
jects of the signatory Chiefs, and a “perfect
maritime truce for evermorethat, in the evout
of aggressions by any one by sea, the injured
parties should not retaliate, but should refer the
matter to the British Resident in the Persian
Gulf, and that the British Government should
watch over the peace of the Gulf mid insure at
all times tho observance of the Treaty.
In 1892 a further Treaty was concluded separ­
ately with each of the Trucial Chiefs by which
they agreed (1) not to enter into any Agree­
ment or correspondence with any Power other
than the British Government; (2) not to consent
to the residence in their territories of the Agent
of ar:y other Government without the assent of
the British Government; (3) not to cede, sell,
mortgage, or otherwise give for occupation any
part of their territory save to the British Govern­
ment.
I V,/. (,'oKmul So long ago as 1823 Captain McLeod, reporting
iVlly'n I.Vport of
A | n il isca. on the Jowasmi tribe (being then at Ras-el-
Khaimah and Shargah), described them as
“ possessing no articles of export, since their
pearls are generally purchased by merchants on
tho spot, and the prodneo of their country is
not even suUndent for their maintenance. Their
only employment is fishing, diving for pearls, and
importing dates, grain, and other necessaries of
life which they purchase with the price of those
pearls. Thoy are very poor, and perhaps can
never find much employment in commerce unless
in carrying for others, although it is said they at
one time possessed a very exteusive trade.”
Colonel (now General Sir Arnold) Kcmlinll
writing in 1815 remarked:—
" Upon the success of the pearl-fishing and the
profits of the cafrying trade which it brings into