19 This senior navy officer paid a visit to Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr in the Sharjah Fort. After the official ceremonies and reception in the Fort’s upper floor, everyone made their way to the front court of the Fort where a special horse show was conducted. It was indeed a poor show owing to the condition of the horses. However, the Sheikh himself mounted a horse and put on a show, in which he demonstrated what a top-class horseman he was. The Guarding of the Station and the aircrafts were entrusted to Sheikh Muhammad bin Saqr, the Ruler’s brother. This had a great significance. The telegraph station in Sharjah founded by the British Air Ministry had been efficiently working from Sharjah Air Station using LW 900 and SW 45, and providing air services. The establishment of the telegraph service in Sharjah under the umbrella of a permanent operating British company meant that necessary ingoing and outgoing communications would be handled in Sharjah.5 Work on the construction of Sharjah Air Station was not progressing satisfactorily unless CaptainMackay was there. However, his visits to Sharjah were not regular. He, nevertheless, wrote a detailed report regarding Eissa Abdullatif, Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al-Qasimi and the Sharjah notables in addition to the work progress on the Sharjah Station. He stated: “MEMORANDUM OF THE BEHAVIOR OF SHARJAH NOTABILITES DURING THE EARLY MONTHS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE REST HOUSE - WRITTEN BY CAPTAIN K. MACKAY, R.E., SUPERVISING ENGINEER.” 1. The following statement is based mainly on the diary kept by NATHA SINGH, a Jat Sikh, specially employed by Works and Buildings Department as Supervisor on the construction, and from my memory of the various events, my conversations with non-English-speaking natives have always been conducted through Interpreters. These have been NATHA SINGH, DAVID, my Assyrian Bearer, and HUSSAIN, who is the Interpreter of K.B. ISSA, the Residency Agent. I have, however at times used various Indians resident on the Coast 2. I have endeavored throughout, to record the more important interviews and 5 Ibid., L.P.&S/12/1965, P.Z.903/1933, L.P.&S/12/4116, 8823/AF/VAS, L.P.&S/12/1966, Sharjah Defense Scheme. THE BUILDING OF SHARJAH AIR STATION
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