Page 132 - The Origins of the United Arab Emirates_Neat

100 The Origins of the United Arab Emirates
‘The Shaikhly families of the Trucial Coast arc . . . quite the
stupidest people with whom it has ever been my misfortune to
deal a country yokel from a remote village in England or Scotland
is a highly intelligent individual compared with a IVucial Shaikh.
. . .’28 Biscoc was weary, and had little sympathy with Sultan’s
suspicions. It is ironic to note that all the promises he gave the
ruler, impatiently, as if they were unnecessary, were in very little
A time to amount to nothing.
After receiving approval from London on the draft agreements
he had drawn up, Biscoc planned to return to Sharjah in July,
this time to obtain Sultan’s signature to the final agreement. The
Iranian Government had once again renewed its agreement with
Imperial Airways, this time until the end of October, so Biscoc
was able to plan carefully for his visit. He decided to ask H.
R. P. Dickson, the Political Agent in Kuwait, to accompany him
and help in the negotiations, for Dickson had spent most of his
life in the Arab world, and knew well the language, customs and
people.29 The two men boarded HMS Bideford, where, a few hours
later, Biscoc suffered a severe heart attack and died shortly after.
The Political Resident was buried at sea with full naval honours.30
After he had recovered from the shock of Biscoe’s death, Dickson
decided the only course open to him was to proceed to Sharjah
and continue as originally planned. When he arrived there on
20 July, he found the atmosphere conducive to discussion, the
news of Biscoc’s death having subdued the opposition. On 22 July
the agreement was signed by Dickson and Sultan; on the same
day, Dickson signed a supplementary letter to Sultan in which
he guaranteed the continued independence of Sharjah.31 Under
the agreement, which was to last for eleven years, Sultan promised
to accept an airport at Sharjah and to build a rest-house there
under the supervision of a British engineer; he also undertook
responsibility for the safety of the passengers and the staff of Imperial
Airways and to supply thirty-seven guards for that purpose. In
return, he would receive payment for the guards, as well as a
monthly rental fee (of 800 and 300 rupees, respectively) for the
airport and rest-house. The British Government would advance
Sultan the money for the rest-house, which he would repay, and
the Government would provide doors, windows, steel joints and
corrugated iron gratis, leaving Sultan to supply the stone (from
- the islands off the coast), plus transportation and labour. Further­
more, Sultan was to receive a personal subsidy of 500 rupees per
month, and a 5 rupees landing fee for every aeroplane, excepting
those of the RAF. It was also agreed that Imperial Airways and
their employees would not deal directly with Shaykh Sultan, but
through the Residency Agent and Political Resident.