'File 9/50 (B 16) The Debai Incident' [‎117r] (244/492)

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oppression they had a ready refuge at hand; with the result that senerally
speaking the treatment, by the Arab element, of this oppressed ohL wou d
have to undergo amelioration. 1 r
7. Ten years ago our position ou the Truoial Coast was speeifioally taken
mto review by the Government of India, and, in the course of the correspondence
"wbicb then enstiGdj iny predecessor wrote on the 12th December 1901^ • -
«For all practical and necessary purposes tlie Trucial Chiefs" may be
considered to be under oui pioteotion and there is no necessity to make this
protectorate more formal unless and until future developments in the Gulf
make it advisable".
In the decade which has since passed there have undoubtedly been a ffood
many developments, and, while all around them the maritime communities
have made some measure of progress in the direction of civilization, the Trucial
Chiefs have practically stood still. There has been no want of effort on the
part of the representative of Government to cultivate and keep in touch with
these Shaikhs, and I personally have been afforded much better opportunities
than my predecessors for doing so. For whereas formerly the personal
association of the Resident with them was as a rule limited to one formal
visit during the year, my own visits have been very much more frequent.
I have made two extensive land journeys at different times through their
hinterland and have had to visit the coast frequently m connection with
the collection of material^ for the Gulf Gazetteer. I know them all well
individually, and in questions of succession, and internal politics se, they
seem to be no less ready than of old to look to the Resident for arbitration in
their disputes and difficulties, and to accept his decisions. But so far as their
external relations are concerned and the display of any inclination on their
part to move with the times, I regret that I can see no change at all. They
remain in the same condition of bigoted ignorance as they did ten years ago
and show not the least inclination to emerge from it.
8. To revert for a few moments to past events. The Government of
India are aware that Mr. New was appointed Vice-Consul at Lingah with
the idea that we should be able to use him also for occasional sojourns at
Debai, and thus make a beginning for a better order of things. Although I
■was not entirely free from misgiving, I was hopeful when I addressed Govern
ment in November that if I took Mr. New down to Debai in the "Lawrence"
and stayed there a few days until he had had time to get on terms with the
Shaikh I should be able to induce the latter to make him welcome there for
a period, and that this would prepare the way for regular periodical sojourn.
When the attack on the landing party of ELM.8. " Hyacinth" was
reported, all my hopes in this direction were upset, and it seemed to me either
that the idea of bringing about ^ better representation on the coast must be
banished altogether for a long time to come, or else that the British officer
must be installed as an item of the measures taken by us in connection with
the attack on our blue-jackets. The Government of India considered the
latter course out of the question, and meanwhile, as was inevitable in any case,
the incident has since been made the subject of much organised misrepresent
ation and hostile comment in the Turkish and vernacular press, and we seem
further removed than ever from the certainty of being able to instal a British
representative by friendly means. Moreover as far as Debai is concerned, and
its present Shaikh, I fear that the same considerations will hold, so far as they
apply in regard to the project for the installation of a wireless telegraph
station.
9. In this connection I would observe that even if it were not indispensi-
ble that the clerk in charge of the wireless should be an Englishman, a station
could hardly be inaugurated without a flag to cover it or a guard to piotect it,
and under existing conditions, sceptical as I am of the of the Shaikh's
apprehensions, I doubt whether it would be wise to attempt to carry the
measure through without the discretion and wherewithal to use force majeure
if necessary. But in any case I gather from His Excellency the Commander-
in-Chief that, even if the wireless station for Debai receives early sanction.