IOR/R/15/2/267

The volume contains correspondence and other papers related to ongoing negotiations with various Shaikhs on the Arab coast, for the installation of aerodrome facilties for use by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Imperial Airways. The principal correspondents in the file are Captain Tom Hickinbotham, Political Agent at Bahrain, the Political Resident, Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven Fowle, and the Residency Agent at Sharjah, ‘Abd al-Razzaq.

The volume contains correspondence on the following: negotiations for an aerodrome at Kalba, including British recognition of the Shaikh of Kalba’s independence, and the question of gun salutes in the Shaikh’s honour; arrangements for a survey of the lagoon at Umm al-Qaywayn for its use as a landing site for seaplanes, including negotiations with the Shaikh of Umm al-Qaywayn for permission to conduct the survey, and threats against the Shaikh (removal of travel papers, obstruction of pearling fleet) in response to his non-compliance in survey arrangements; extended aerodrome facilities at Sharjah, including meteorological station, wireless station, and extended accommodation (fold-out architectural plan of the proposals on folio 160); proposals to move the petrol dhow at Ra’s al-Khaymah to a safer mooring; discussions over whether to retain a petrol dhow at Dubai.