'ملف رقم 9/50 (B 16) حادث دبي' [ظ‎‎١‎٤] (٤٩٢/٣٥)

♦
28
myself that we could, without further reference, presume that Goremment
would be prepared under present conditions to force these measures on the
Shaikh, and they were consequently not included in the terms to which we
required the Shaikh to accede within 48 hours.
8. As will be seen by the Shaikh's reply to the ultimatum he complied
satisfactorily with our demands, 12 hours before the time expired, but accord
ing to information which reached us from time to time from the shore it was
for a long time by no means certain that he would do so, owing to the
reactionary influence exercised over him by a truculent section of his relatives.
Fortunately the Shaikhs of Shargah and Um-el-Kawain were present in Dehai
the former having ridden in in connection with the recent incident, and the latter
having arrived by chance without knowing of it. They were sent for on board
on the 30th, and informed that it was incumbent on them to give Government
their help upon this occasion by advising Shaikh Butti in the right direction.
While they were both together the Shaikh of Shargah contented himself by
endeavouring to get better terms for Shaikh Butti, while the Shaikh of Um-el-
Kawain took little part in the conversation. The latter however is under
considerable personal obligation to me and to Government, and while I had a
private interview with him, the Shaikh of Shargah was shown round H. M.'s
Ship and realised from the busy preparations in progress on board that there
was no intention on our part to give way.
On returning to the shore they joined their pressure to that of the Resi
dency Agent, with the result that a letter containing Shaikh Butti's compliance
soon came off.
9. He was to have come on board at 9 a.m . the following morning with
the money and the rifles ; meanwhile, however, a heavy surf had got up, and a
telegram had been received from Bushire showing that the position there was
disquieting. It was therefore arranged that the Shaikh should come on
board H. M. S. " Fox" as soon as the sea went down, and His Excellency the
Commander-in-Chief and I left for Bushire in H. M. S. "Hyacinth".
10. Reverting to the circumstances attending the incident which neces
sitated our presence at Debai, it will be evident to the Government of India
from a perusal of the naval report that the behaviour of the landing party in
an extremely ditfioult position was beyond all praise; but I am of opinion, and
in this the Naval Commander-in-Chief fully concurs, that action on shore in
t he direction of searching native houses by parties from H. M.'s Ships cannot
be undertaken without great risk of awkward incidents, and that it is not
worth while taking such risk except for the capture of considerable stores
of arms, and after reference to higher authority. It will be seen that His
Excellency has issued instructions in this sense for the guidance of II.
M.'s Ships.
Translation of ultimatum presented to the Shaikh of Dehai hy the Political Resident in the
Persian Gulf on 29th December 1910.
To
Shaikh Butti-bin-Soheil, Ruler of Debai.
After compliments. —I address you in confirmation of the discussion
which took place between you and His Excellency the Admiral and myself on
28th December 1910 on board H. M. S." Hyacinth", and I now call upon you to
render compliance both in action and in writing, with the following demands,
within 48 hours, that is to say before 9 o'clock on 31st December=2| hours
after sunrise on Saturday.
(1) You must replace the pole which indicates the rise and fall of the
tide, and which was erected by Lieutenant Noakes, in command of the boat
of H. M. S. " Hyacinth" stationed in the Khor of your town, and after
replacing it you must uudertake to keep it there by placing guards on your
,