"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الجزء II. ج. ج. لوريمر. ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎٦‎٣‎٧] (١٢٦٢/١١٥٤)

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Darbar on
H. M. S.
"Argonaut,"
2637
The visit to SJiarjah, 21st November.
An anchorage off Sharjah was reached early on the following day; hut Arrival off
the shallowness of the water prevented the squadron from approaching Shavjah.
the shore^ and a low-lying coast^ with a fringe of date-palms and a line of
substantial yellow buildings, was all that could be described from the decks
of the ships. No salute was fired by the squadron on arrival, partly on
account of the distance of the ships from the shore which was about five
miles, and partly because the Shaikh of Sharjah had no means of returning
oce if given. A heavy swell, which was rolling in from the north-west,
necessitated some changes in the official programme.
The Shaikhs of Trucial ''Oman were already collected on board the
Indo-European Telegraph Departments vessel " Patrick Stewart" in
charge of Mr. Gaskin, Assistant Political Agent in Bahrain; Colonel
Kemball also was present, having hastened on ahead from Masqat in the
" Lawrence and it only remained for the weather to moderate in order
that the Darbar, which it was intended to hold, might take place. Even
tually, but not without some difficulty, the Trucial Shaikhs—who, des
cendants though they were of pirates and buccaneers, had suffered severely
from sea-sickness on board the " Patrick Stewart "—were transferred
to the " Argonautwhere a Darbar room had been arranged on the
quarter-deck in the same manner as at Masqat; and a number of the leading
residents of Sharjah also were brought off to the a Argonaut " in a steam
launch. The transhipment of the British spectators of the Darbar from
the other ships to the a Argonaut" was attended by considerable incon
venience, on account of the heavy sea; but, the Admiral and the Viceroy
having safely reached the " Argonaut" under the salutes appropriate to
the occasion, the proceedings commenced at about 3-30 p.m . The ceremo
nial of the Darbar was much the same as at Masqat, and all officers were
in full dress; but the place upon the dais ai the Viceroy's right hand was
filled by the Political Kesident, and, Sir A. Hardinge having proceeded
direct from Masqat to arrange for the impending visit of the squadron
to Bandar 'Abbas, the corresponding place on His Excellency's left was
occupied by the Naval Commander-in-Chief and his staff alone. A
guard of honour of British marines with a band was in attendance. The
Shaikhs present in person were Shaikh Zaid of Abu Dhabi with two
sons; Shaikh Saqar of Sharjah and Shaikh Maktum of Dibai, each
accompanied by one son; and Shaikh 'Abdul 'Aziz of 'Ajman alone,
his son being ill: Shaikh Ahmad of Umm-al-Qaiwain, an old and infirm
man who died a few months later, was represented by his son Eashid who
has since succeeded to the Shaikhship. Ihe Shaikh of Harmiyah, who
had for some time been endeavouring to assert an independence of Sharjah
not recognised by the British Government, was not invited to attend.
The Shaikhs present were all elderly or middle-aged men, and their
dignified and independent air and the manly appearance of their followers
occasioned general remark. After the Shaikhs had been formally
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presented to the Viceroy, His Excellency deliveied an address
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