Page 249 - The Origins of the United Arab Emirates_Neat

Notes <1 \ 5

to. L/P&S/m, P595/1927(3), 1*3999/30, Political Resident to Government
of India, 29 May 1930 (telegram).
11. Ibid., P3516/30, Political Resident to Government of India, 4 June
193°*
12. Ibid., minute by Laithwaile (India Office) at P3516/30, 4 June 1930.
13. It is interesting to note here that Bentley, in Journal of the Royal
Central Asian Society, xx, omits to mention the seizure of the Ras al-Khai-
mah pearling fleet: ‘Lengthy negotiations followed, and at last the
Shaikh, acting on the advice of his relative the Shaikh of Sharjah,
agreed to allow aircraft to use the lagoon unmolested and to guard
the fuel’ (p. 183).
14. L/P&S/10, P595/i927(3), P4195/30, Political Resident to Government
of India, 23 June 1930.
15. Biscoc described the negotiations as follows: ‘The Shaikh of Sharjah
would come on board in the morning with some ridiculous proposal
and when that was refused return to the shore for another 24 hours
and so it went on’ (ibid.).
16. Ibid., P3742/30, Political Resident to India Office, 15 June 1930 (tele­
gram).
17. R/15/1/226, ‘Arab States News Summary’, no. 6 of 1930, June 1930.
The question of who would pay for the guard was not settled. Sultan
asked that the British Government should cover the costs, and suggested
a salary of 100 rupees per month; but the matter was left standing
when the Resident left Ras al-Khaimah in June, and in October
the same year the Residency Agent reported that Sultan was adamant
that he could not be made responsible for the costs. ‘Isa accordingly
offered Sultan some money on account, but Sultan refused to accept
it, saying that if lie did it would preclude further discussion with
the Resident on the subject of the barge, which he now wanted to
have removed. Sultan confided to ‘Isa that he was afraid that, having
made one concession, he would be obliged to give more and thus
gradually lose his sovereignty.
18. Which in 1940 became the British Overseas Airways Corporation.
19. CAB 23/67, 40(31)5, 30 July 1931.
20. L/P&S/12/1955, PZ7920/31, Political Resident to Government of India,
20 Dee 1931 (telegram).
21. Ibid., PZ1429/32, Political Resident to Government of India, 3 Mar
1932 (telegram).
22. L/P&S/12/1966, PZ6085/32, Appendix no. to Senior Naval Officer,
Communication no. 126/587, 10 June 1932.
23. Ibid., PZ2736/32, Political Resident to Government of India, 5 May
1932 (telegram). Before presenting Sultan with this ultimatum, the
Resident had ascertained the extent of the opposition to the signing
of an air agreement. He admitted that Muhammad bin Saqr, who
lived in the same house as his brother, thus making Sultan particularly
vulnerable to attack, was supported in his opposition by the rulers
of Ajman, Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah; also, that the ruler of Ras
al-Khaimah had threatened to kill Sultan bin Saqr if he signed. Further­
more, Sultan had asked for an additional sum of 5000 rupees per
annum for the facilities, so that he could subsidise his younger brothers.