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'ARBITRATION CONCERNING BURAIMI AND THE COMMON FRONTIER BETWEEN ABU DHABI AND SA'ŪDI ARABIA' [With maps] [‎141r] (286/541)

The record is made up of 1 volume (267 folios). It was created in 1940s-1955. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: Printed Collections.

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113
ANNEX B, No. 40
Extracts from notes on a journey from Abu Dhabi to Muscat by
Major P. Z. Cox in May and June 1902. (1>
Abu Dhabi-Buraimi
For many miles before nearing Buraimi the track, where any exists, passes
over undulating downs and dunes of sand which from time to time obscure the
view in front. On getting near the outskirts of the oasis and looking southwards
along the valley of the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Batha one sees a series of sand dunes and hummocks
stretching away southwards apparently in continuation of the Hafi, but in reality
they are not, and as one finds out later they are situated a good deal to the south
and west and are not in prolongation to it ... . Hafit is one solitary hill rising
straight out of the plain. It is probably 1,500 feet high ....
Buraimi-Hafit
Leaving the western edge of the oasis, we passed through Mataradh, Jahali
and Ain, the second of which village is a recent settlement inaugurated by
Shaikh Zaid bin Khalifa [Ruler of Abu Dhabi! on a tract of ground reclaimed
by him at the base of one of the re-entrants of Jebel Hafit. It seems to be in a
thriving condition but the date groves have not yet arrived at maturity . . . .
From Ain the track turns southward and runs parallel to the base of Hafi but
keeping a little distance away from it.
Hafit-Dhank
At first the route leads over the same shingly plain as herebefore devoid of
vegetation or almost so but later as one approaches the wells of Mufiyah the
mimosa and acacia vegetation appears again and becomes gradually more plentiful.
The village of Mufiyah is only a nomad one composed of A1 bu Shamis shepherds
and their families housed in blankets or mat wigwams with their flocks of goats.
It is difficult to arrive at any reliable estimate of such flocks, but the total of those
scattered over the broad plain lying between Buraimi and Dhank must amount
to many thousands. The population of Mufiyah is about 150.
Fourteen miles more through the same class of country brings the traveller
to the Bedouin wells and village of Buzaili; also belonging to the Abu Shamis and
containing about 200 souls. Sunaina, another of their villages, lies about four
miles to the southwards across the plain which, as far as the eye can reach, has
plentiful mimosa vegetation but merges at no great distance into the Rub al
Khali ....
An hour before Dhank is reached the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Bu Karba crosses the track ....
Dhank is an important and prosperous town containing some four thousand
inhabitants and is pleasantly situated at the mouth of the precipitous opening in
the Hajar range formed by the exit of the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Dhank .... It possesses fine
orchards and date groves.
Dhank-Mazam
Mazam .... is tenanted by a colony of Baluchis who have resided there
for many generations and are allied for defensive and offensive purposes to the Beni
Qitab .... They have practically no communication with the Oman coast, their
import and export trade being entirely with Abu Dhabi and Dubai ....
Mazam to Ibri
After leaving Mazam the track passes over an undulating waste now stony and
sandy with sparse vegetation .... At \1\ miles the path rises over [a low hill
from which] a good view is obtained of the extensive basin below containing the
villages of Ghabbi, Araqi, Bait-el-Ainain and Dariz and stretching for a good many
miles to the North Eastward towards the base of Jebel Misht and Khaur.
The town of Ibri itself is buried in an enormous mass of date groves. Setting
aside the Semail valley .... Ibri possesses the widest extent of date cultivation
(1) Muscat File XXIII/I. Maior P. Z. Cox (P.A.M.) of June 29th, 1903, to Captain H. H.
Do wdin g> I.B., Simla.
48109
Q

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Content

This volume relates to the arbitration concerning Buraimi [Al Buraymī] and the common frontier between Abu Dhabi and Sa'ūdi Arabia. The main body of text is a publication, which is introduced as being a '[M]emorial submitted by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. The memorial, which was submitted to the arbitration tribunal, begins with an introduction and a copy of the Arbitration Agreement, concluded at Jedda [Jeddah] on 30 July 1954 and titled as follows: 'Arbitration Agreement Between the Government of the United Kingdom (Acting on Behalf of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi and His Highness Sultan Said bin Taimur) and the Government of Saudi Arabia' (ff 8-10). The memorial itself is divided into two halves: vol I and vol II. Vol I (ff 10-83) provides an overview of the dispute, which is structured as follows:

  • 'Part I: The Nature of the Dispute Submitted to the Tribunal' (ff 10-14)
  • 'Part II: Topographical Description of the Two Areas in Dispute' (ff 14-17)
  • 'Part III: Historical Bases of the Claims of the Rulers of Abu Dhabi and the Sultan of Muscat to the Areas in Dispute' (ff 18-30)
  • 'Part IV: The Economy of the Disputed Areas' (ff 30-32)
  • 'Part V: The Tribes' (ff 33-39)
  • 'Part VI: The Exercise of Jurisdiction' (ff 40-44)
  • 'Part VII: Sa'ūdi Pretensions to an Ancestral Claim to Territories in Eastern Arabia' (ff 44-46)
  • 'Part VIII: Revival of the Sa'ūdi Dynasty After 1900, and the Subsequent Development of the Dispute' (ff 47-62)
  • 'Part IX: The Contentions of the Government of the United Kingdom in Regard to the Burden of Proof…' (ff 62-64)
  • 'Part X: The Contentions of the Government of the United Kingdom in Regard to the Factors Mentioned in Article IV of the Arbitration Agreement' (ff 65-83)
  • 'Part XI: Final Submissions of the Government of the United Kingdom Acting on Behalf of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi and His Highness the Sultān Sa‘īd bin Taymūr' (f 83v).

Vol II of the memorial (ff 84-254) is formed of thirteen annexes, which include the following: copies of texts of relevant treaties and engagements; copies of British documents relating to the history of Abu Dhabi and of the Buraimi Zone; copies of correspondence and documents relating to the development of the dispute; information about Līwa and the Buraimi Oasis; evidence concerning the exercise of jurisdiction by the Ruler of Abu Dhabi over the coast of the disputed area and the adjacent islands; notes on various tribes based in the disputed area; genealogical tables of the Rulers of Abu Dhabi, Muscat and 'Omān, and Najd.

The volume concludes with a series of maps (some of which are photocopies and are reduced in size), relating to the disputed area (ff 256-264). It should be noted that Map B is not present. However, included with the other maps is a gazetteer of place names (ff 265-268), in which each place name is given map co-ordinates, presumably referring to positions on the missing Map B. Written in pencil on the first page is the following note: 'Evaluates Map B'.

In addition, a small sketch map of Arabia appears at the beginning of the volume (f 4).

The Arabic material consists of some text in a couple of the maps found at the rear of the volume.

Extent and format
1 volume (267 folios)
Arrangement

The main body of text is formed of two halves. The first half (vol I) consists of nine parts, most of which are divided into sections. The second half (vol II) is composed of thirteen annexes. Both halves are preceded by a table of contents.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio, which is contained within a pouch attached to the inside back cover, with 268; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'ARBITRATION CONCERNING BURAIMI AND THE COMMON FRONTIER BETWEEN ABU DHABI AND SA'ŪDI ARABIA' [With maps] [‎141r] (286/541), British Library: Printed Collections, B.S. 14/371, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100122625234.0x000057> [accessed 5 July 2024]

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