مجموعة ٣٠/١١٤ "تقارير إجراءات السُفُن البريطانية." [و‎‎٣‎٥‎١] (١٢٠٣/٧٠١)

<S5
arranged that theee inveatigatione should he undertaken by the
Political Agent’s interpreter who was accordingly embarked in
SHOREHAM for passage to Dibah, Various methods of causing the
arrest of the murderer were discussed with the Political Agent
who will in turn meet the Honourable the Political Resident at
the end of the month. Difficulties are expected as it is
thought the shaikh of the Shihuh may refwse to hand over the
man to the Muscat authorities.
X XX
9. Shinas was reached on £8th March and after the
Political Agent’s business with the Wali had been completed,
I moved on to Xhor Fakkan, and thence to Duhat Dibah the
following day.
10. Calls were exchanged with the Shaikh of Dibah in
the forenoon, ?9th March, and we explored at the back of the
Town for a posslile site for an emergency landing ground for
Imperial Airways. The journey between Sharjah and Jiunri
(in British Baluchistan) is fraught with danger if head winds
are experienced, as the petrol supply is scarcely adequate
for this particularly long stretch.
11. The Shaikh of Beiah was sick (he was attended later
by my Medical Officer), and unable to call personally, but he
sent his son and we visited him in the afternoon to hand him
a letter, from the Muscat Government, demanding the delivery
to justice of the murderer of the Indian merchant (reported
previously by DEPTFORD).
IP. The Shihuh tribe, which inhabits the Runs al Jabal
does not in practice admit allegiance to Muscat and it is
probable that this demand will be disregarded. It was
ascertained that the tribe has a fair number of fishing boats
and, at a later date, the Mavy may be requested to capture
some of these in order to bring the Shaikh to heel. As the
natives are even poorer than anywhere I have yet visited in
the Gulf, it is likely that such a measure would soon be
efficacious.
15. Having been detailed to act as escort to a Flight
of R.A.F. machines during their crossing of the Gulf of Oman on
»lst March, I endeavoured throughout the day of the 50th March
to ascertain their time of crossing. I eventually obtained a
response and after contradictory messages, the time was finally
given as 1030. I consequently left Dibah so as to reach the
area by this time, only to find that they had crossed three
hours earlier. No satisfactory explanation was given to me,
nor was any apology forthcoming.
14. This is the second time within a few months that
incorrect information from the Air Force authorities has rendered
useless the trouble and expense of diverting FOWEY from her
programme specially for escort work and, in this case, it caused
no little inconvenience to the Political Agent, Muscat, in
delaying his return by P4 hours to no purposei
15« On hearing that the machines were well over the
Makran Coast I proceeded direct to Muscat.
» X ft
7. Here (Abadan), for the first occasion in my
experience, anlranian Officer of the Guard called to welcome me
and to exchange exchange of calls• The following morning the
Senior Officer (Lieutenant Ali Zand, Commanding SIMORGH) called
on me and I returned his visit at Khorramchahr Naval Base.