'File 14/115 VII Annex (B 9) Abu Musa oxide: collected background material on the case' [‎168v] (347/1904)

Persian of Bastak. It is Irue tKat he was at
one time French consular agent at Ltngah, but in
1909 he was dismissed by the French consul, who
had had occasion to complain of him. In 1907"
he was proceeded against by the Customs for
smuggling a large quantity of tobacco, and he has
recently been complained against for unlawfully
flying the French flag on a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. .
Hamd-ibn-Khalifa ATuyuni was a petty mer
chant, but went bankrupt, and afterwards
endeavoured to make a living as a news- writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. by
writing gossip to various notables in the Gulf,
and getting occasional presents from them. He
recently died insolvent.
As against testimony of this nature, His
Majesty's Government bring forward the evidence
of nineteen sheikhs, merchants, and notables of
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , who are familiar with the affairs
of the district. The names of these persons have
been given above, and their statements are set out
in Appendices 6, 7, and 8. They state that the
owner of Abu Musa is the Sheikh of Bhargah,
now Sheikh Sagar.
His Majesty's Government agree that Salim, p
with the consent of Sheikh Sagar, exercised (from
the date of the arrangement made after the grant
of the oxide concession) the full right of disposal
of the usufruct of the island. This right was de
rived from the permission granted to him by the
owner, Sheikh Sagar. It is denied that he
exercised the right 45 as against" Sagar, except in
so far as the latter, while a partner in the
syndicate, was responsible for the payment of his
proportion of the rent.
Finally, His Majesty's Government would
enquire how it is suggested that Salim obtained
his title to the island. His right to it as Sheikh
of Shargah was lost when he was deposed ; and if
the contention is that he had any other title
there should be in existence documents of title
or other evidpnee showing whence it was derived.
No such evidence has been produced.
Having thus examined the objections raised to
the evidence brought forward in support of Sheikh