IOR/R/15/2/2016

The volume concerns political developments at Kalba, particularly the consequences of the death of Shaikh Said bin Hamad; the minority of Shaikh Hamad bin Said; the involvement of Shaikh Sultan bin Salim [Sulṭān bin Sālim Āl Qasimī], Ruler of Ras al Khaimah, in Kalba affairs; and the appointment of Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmad bin Sultan al Qasimi [Khālid bin Aḥmad bin Sulṭān Āl Qasimī] as Regent of Kalba.

The main correspondents are: the Political Agent, Bahrain (Captain Tom Hickinbotham and Hugh Weightman); the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Trenchard Craven William Fowle); and the Residency Agent, Sharjah (Khan Sahib Saiyid Abdur Razzaq).

The papers cover: reports of the death of Shaikh Said bin Hamad, Ruler of Kalba; the election of Shaikh Hamad bin Said as successor to his father, by the will of the people of Kalba; the attempt of Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmad, ex-Shaikh of Sharjah, cousin of the Shaikh of Sharjah, and son-in-law of the late Ruler of Kalba, to force the people of Kalba to appoint him Shaikh; the involvement of Shaikh Sultan bin Saqar [Sultan bin Saqr Āl Qāsimī], Ruler of Sharjah, in Kalba affairs; the maintenance of the Imperial Airways aerodrome and petrol dump at Kalba; the attempt of the Shaikh of Ras al Khaimah to take over power in Kalba, including his difficulties there, his removal by the British by naval vessel from Kalba to Bahrain, British displeasure at his actions, and his complaint against his treatment; the selection by the notables of Kalba of Barut, Head Slave of the late Shaikh of Kalba, as regent; discussion of the adoption of Shaikh Khalid as the British nominee (folio 150); discussion by British officials of the implications of official recognition of a slave, Barut, as de facto ruler of Kalba (folios 171-180); the Political Resident's suggestion that Kalba should be governed by a Council of Regency formed of notables from Kalba (folio 180); the election of Shaikh Khalid as Regent of Kalba; and correspondence concerning the payment of 2,500 rupees by the Ruler of Sharjah to Shaikh Khalid at the beginning of each pearling season as part of the agreement by which Shaikh Khalid had abdicated as Ruler of Sharjah (folios 257-261, and notes, folio 274).

An entry on the title page (folio 4) states that the file was closed on 14 November 1937.

The Arabic language content of the file consists of approximately forty folios of correspondence, most of it from the Political Agent, Bahrain; the Residency Agent, Sharjah; the Rulers of Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah and Kalba; and the Regent of Kalba, all with English translations.