Page 172 - The Origins of the United Arab Emirates_Neat

138 The Origins 0/ the United Arab Emirates

I Ins was pailicularly alarming in that both Petroleum Concessions
and Socal had made it clear that the most likely country for
oil was the area from Abu Dhabi to ibri to Buraimi. ‘I have
little doubt that the Saudi Arabian authorities have come to the
same conclusion and if they have not will soon be encouraged
to do so, by the California Arabian Standard Oil Company.’51
The Foreign Office was equally apprehensive at the possibility of
further Saudi penetration, and asked whether the tribes in Jabal
Halit, a small area immediately south of Buraimi, owed allegiance
to the ruler of Abu Dhabi.
At any rate, we hope so, for if they owe allegiance to no one
in particular we may find King I bn Saud inducing them without
very much difficulty to admit that they owe allegiance to him.
In that ease, despite the fact that Baraimi lies north and cast
of the line we have offered to King I bn Saud, we should be
likely to find it difficult to keep him out of Baraimi for, as
we have suggested before, we cannot hold him, or indeed anyone
else, back behind a vacuum.55

It was only when Petroleum Concessions Limited sent a party
of exploration to Buraimi in the winter of 1938 that it became
possible to make a full assessment of the tribal situation there.
Before the party started out, investigations had to be made as
to who had to be consulted for permission to enter the area.
Hugh YVeightman, Officiating Political Resident at the time, reported,
Abu Dhabi holds by far the greater part [of the Buraimi oasis]
through the Dhawahir tribe with a total of over a hundred
houses .... It is noteworthy that even the Sultan of Muscat
has admitted to Watts [Assistant Political Agent Bahrain] that
Abu Dhabi owns the principal villages of Jimi, Muraijib, Mas‘udi
and Hili in the Oasis.56

The importance of having Shakhbut’s permission became only too
obvious when he refused to give it. The company then turned
to the sultan of Muscat for help to enter Buraimi and Jabal Hafit
from the Muscat, rather than the Trucial Coast, side. When Sa‘id
bin Taymur agreed to co-operate, Fowle made it clear that Britain
would not commit itself to the sultan regarding the ownership
of Buraimi. ‘On the other hand, since the Sultan actually claims
Baraimi, if he succeeds in getting the Company in that place,
his rights to it will be much strengthened.’57 Before the expedition
set out, in the winter of 1938, Weightman was convinced that,
even if they were to rely on help from the Na‘im, as allies of

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