17 As a result, the Political Resident talked to Eissa Abdullatif and informed him of the complaints made by Captain Mackay. Afterwards, the Political Resident in the Gulf started official communications with Sheikh Sultan, Ruler of Sharjah. With regards to the funds the Sheikh was to use for the construction of the Station, the Political Resident decided that the remaining funds with Eissa Abdullatif were to be taken from him and paid through Captain Mackay to Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr directly. The Shikh, in turn, would receive the relevant bills of all the expenses already made. Additionally, the Political Resident paid Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr 5,000 Rupees to keep. Arrangements were also made to the effect that Mr Humaid bin Kamil who was both the Sheikh representative and assistant to Captain Mackay would withdraw funds from the Sheikh as need be. No money would be paid to any other person. Both Captain Mackay and Humaid bin Kamil would have to prepare their weekly expenses accounts and present them to the Sheikh to check how much he had left to cover. At the end of the meeting between the Political Resident and Sheikh Sultan, the former paid the latter 1,000 Rupees as a special grant for the months of July and August. The Sheikh was shown the Station plans which incorporated what was described as being a fortress with high walls. All the company’s offices and possessions were located inside the fortress which was surrounded by a fence. The planes were kept within a secure enclosure while in Sharjah. The issue of the security of the Station was also discussed. Everyone was waiting for the arrival of the equipment which, it had been said, was on its way to Sharjah.4 Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr and the people of Sharjah were expecting the arrival of the RMS Bandra from the Sha’biyya port in Kuwait on Thursday, 22 September 1932. That day, Sheikh Sultan had prepared a sufficient number of men and boats ready for work since the early hours of the day. They were all waiting for the ship loaded with the equipment, the Imperial 4 Ibid., L.P&S/12/1965,P.Z5585/1932, L.P.&S/12/1966, P.Z.5765/65/1932. THE BUILDING OF SHARJAH AIR STATION
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