مجموعة ٣٠/١١٤ "تقارير إجراءات السُفُن البريطانية." [و‎‎٥‎٧‎٢] (١٢٠٣/١١٤٣)

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FRQVi .... The Commanding Officer, H.M.S. LUPIN at Muscat.
LETTER OF PROCEEDIilCS 1st - 15th DECEi
1934.
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A1 A.iman.
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4, Mr, Gox and Flight Lieutenant Coates - the
R.A,F. Intelligence Officer for the Persian Gulf -
also went ashore with the Political Agent and it v/as
arranged for the former to look at one or two outcrops
close to the town in the afternoon, these proved to he
of no particular interest.
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6. The Shaikh of A1 Ajman had little of interest
to discuss hut drew the attention of the Political Agent
to a matter connected with pearl diving. It appears
that Ajman hired some pearl divers and consequently
advanced them funds, tfie pearl divers then left Ajman
and are now at A1 Hairah, i.e. under Sharjah. The
Shaikh had already written to the Shaikh £ Sharjah
suggesting that either the pearl divers should return
to Ajman or else the advance should he paid hack. The
Political Agent said that he would discuss this quarrel
with the Shaikh of Sharjah and it is understood that this
matter has been referred to Isa - the Residency Agent.
Alii Phall** *
10, Prior to this visit the Shaikh of Ahu Dhahi
had asked Colonel Loch if anyone could find artesian
wells at Ahu Dhahi; resulting from this request the
Political Agent arranged for Mr. Cox to accompany him
on a visit of research. It was fully realised hy the
Political authorities that a valuable opportunity had
arisen whereby an Anglo-Persian Oil Company representative
could obtain an entree into Ahu Dhahi on the pretext
of finding water and also visit the other islands belonging
to the shaikh for a similar purpose. Although this may
savour of intrigue and deception, it must in all fairness
he pointed out that geological investigations made in
the Persian Gulf for the purpose of finding both oil and
water are of an identical nature; furthermore there is
little doubt that if water does materialise in or near
Ahu Dhahi some considerable endeavour to obtain it for
the shaikh will subsequently he made, partly to improve
the amenities of his shaikhdom and at the same time to
augment his goodwill towards ourselves.
11. LUPIN arrived off Ahu Dhahi early on 3rd
December and it was tacitly agreed that the subject of
oil should not he mentioned while the ship was there.
No doubt, however, seems to have existed in the mind of
the shaikh that a search for oil was Mr. Cox T s objective,
for when he met the Commanding Officer, H.M.S. BIDEFORD
a few days later his enquiries were solely about oil,
water not being mentioned ...,