Confidential -3 the Rulers of the Trucial States, the Sultan and possibly the Shaikhs of the Muscati tribes to see if they would agree on a boundary laid down using the evidence as a basis: if an agreement was achieved it would then be put down in writing. The Sultan raised no objection to this or th the fact that we are now working towards a boundary settlement and a said that he hoped that the work would continue next winter as he thought that it was valuable wherever it might lead. However he would commit himself no further than that state ment, and would not say that he himself was hoping for a frontier settlemente 8. If the work does continue next winter I fear that the Sultan's reluctance to commit himself will make it a longer task than it would otherwise be. It looks to me as though, at least while he is in his present frame of mind, the Sultan will not be prepared to accept himself a boundary which clashes with the ideas of his tribal Shaikhs, whatever the evidence, as Shaikh Zaid is apparently prepared to do. If this is the he cas case it will mean that these tribal Shaikhs will first have to be persuaded that the line proposed is a just and acceptable one, and the Sultan informed of the success of the persuasion before he would be prepared to put anything down in writing. 9. While the Sultan's apparent timidity in this direction may add to the work I think that it is only natural and wise in the circumstances. Were the Sultan to accept a frontier on the behalf of his tribes without full consultation with them I doubt whether they in their present mood would accept it. II they did the acceptance would be grudging. Admittedly Abdulla Salim has told me that he would obey the word of the Sultan but he is very free with his criticism of Muscat and its officials. Mohammed bin Salimin shows no love for the Sultan whom he considers mean, and the Shihuh apparently consider themselves as the allies rather than the subjects of Muscat. Baiah was flying a Dubai type flag when I arrived, and the Bani Shatair Shaikh explained, when I showed surprise, that it was the Shihuh flag (which happened to be different from the Muscat one). 10. Another difficulty which must be dealt with before the completion of work on the Trucial States - Muscat frontier is the fact that the southern section of Abu Dhabi's frontier with Dubai (and Sharjah?) has never been settled. At the moment there is a section of the brucial States - Muscat frontier lying to the north of the Ramlet Anaij over which there is apparently 11ttle or no dispute, but since it is not certain whether Abu Dhabi, Dubai or Sharjah is the state contiguous with Muscat in the area, no agreement would be reached. 11. I am copying this letter to Martin Buckmaster in Abu Dhabi, and Leslie Chauncy in Muscat, and sending you a spare copy for Eastern Department. (J.F. Walker) A.T. Lamb, Esq., M.B.E., D.F.C., Bbitish Residency, Bahrain. Confidential
