TALE OF A CITY 38 from Messrs Strik & Co. to the India office were: - An immediate payment of 6000 Rupees - A due payment of 2 Rupees for every ton of any mineral exported with a guarantee of a minimum payment of 200 Rupees annually whether the said mineral was exported or not (ownership right). It is not clear if the agreement as initially preparedby the companywas subject to customary restrictions regarding the freedom of work and movement on the island as well as exemption from other fees. It also does not seem that the agreement incorporated any official statement regarding the transfer to non-British nationals mentioned above. It was also decided that the declaration in question should suffice in terms of the practical necessities in this respect and that no more discussion regarding it was merited. In 1922, Messrs Strik & Co., in accordance with their agreement with Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Sultan al-Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, shipped 20 tons of red oxide which Wönckhaus and Partners had previously recovered but abandoned them. This shipment made its way to England as a sample. Strik & Co. did not recover any red oxide that year in spite of the fact that the agent, Mr Habakkuk, stayed on the island for a number of weeks. On 9 October 1925, the Political Resident informed the British Foreign Secretary that, according to a September report made by the Deputy of the High British Agent in Persia, the Persian authorities in Lengeh had sent a man on a motor boat to the Island of AbuMusa and he filled some bags with samples of red oxide and left. The Sheikh of Sharjah strongly objected to this act by the Persian authorities. The Political Resident in the Gulf also made a complaint to the Persian Customs Authority pointing out that the island belonged to Sharjah. He additionally submitted a protest against the inappropriate action. Messrs Strik & Co. had pointed out that they saw little opportunity for exporting red oxide during that time due to the quality being low. Nothing since then was mentioned about red oxide on Abu Musa Island. As for the
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