"ملف رقم ٠٢٢٣ شؤون رأس الخيمة" [و‎‎١‎١‎١] (٢٨٤/٢٢١)

COMFIiagiTIAI,.
D.O.No.156.0223
Dear Mr* Pelly,
Please refer to my telegram No* 143 dated the
13th Februaryt 1948*
2* I and the Residency Agent spent the 15th February
in Has al Khaimah* I later saw Sultan bin Salim at the Agency
on the 18th* I had not been able to get hold of him before.
3* In Has al Khainuih I found Shaikh Saqr bin Muharrmad
bin Salim in charge assisted and advised by his father and by
his elder brother Shaikh Humaid bin fuhammad* Most of the
guards formerly employed by Sultan bin Salim had come over to
Saqr and# in addition# he had received help from the Khavatir
and from the Shaikh of Jazirat al Hamra* Members of the public
intervieved separately thoroughly approved of the change in
regime.
4* It appears that Sultan bin Salim had feared such a
coup d f etat ever since the sons of Muhammad bin Salim# whom
Sultan bin Salim displaced from the Shaikhship 29 years ago#
reached maturity* In anticipation of it# he had removed to
Dubai all his movable property except a few pieces of furniture
Locked boxes in his house were found to be empty# and he had
in Has al Khaimah no arms except one rifle# and no ammunition.
In addition, where he could collect taxes and customs dues in
advance he had done so by issuing drafts on merchants who
usually have to pay customs duties* Allowances due from him
in recent months had been similarly met# so that in effect
they were in arrears. Considering that he has# as far as I
can gather# disbursed very little indeed to facilitate the
Oil Company^ work# it appears that he has got away with most
C.J. Pelly# Lsquire# 0*B#B*#
Political Ag nt,
Bahrain.
British Agency# Sharjah
Dated 21st Feb# 1948.