49 Bahrain Political Agent, interfered, and, in consultation with the Gulf Political Agent, decided that the post of Sharjah Political Agent was to go to Khan Sahib Sayyid Abdulrazzaq al-Ruzuqi, and Hussain Imad was to be an Acting Political Agent, until al-Ruzuqi’s arrival to Sharjah.1 On 3 November 1935, Sharjah’s airspace was busy with planes flying at low latitude, and the locals came out to watch what was going on. Flight Lieutenant Macdonald had arrived from Muscat on a seaplane with three technicians from the military Task Force 84. He landed in Sharjah Creek at BahrMajaz. Around noon time, Flight Lieutenant Nuttal arrived at Sharjah Air Station from Sha’biyyah, Kuwait, with two planes. In his company was Mr Cross, the Near East Airways Director. The purpose of the visit was to find a suitable place for landing on the coast as part of the 1937 seaplanes route programme. After lunch, the planes took off with both officials to visit Ras al-Khaimah, Um al-Quwain and Dubai to check the lakes in those regions. Then, the whole group returned to Sharjah where they met on board of the HMS Lupin to discuss future plans. During this period, Emir Abdullah bin Jalwi, Governor of Hassa, passed away. In late November 1935, Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al-Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, left to Riyadh and was received by Ibn Saud who presented him with a Ford V80, some rifles, clothes and money. While Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr was in Riyadh, all the areas between Ras al-Khaimah and Dubai witnessed an outbreak of smallpox. 755 cases were recorded, with 90 deaths.2 As soon as the news reached Sharjah Aerodrome authorities, they sent letter via airmail to the Foreign Ministry and Public Health Department in Baghdad informing them of the smallpox outbreak in Sharjah. In Baghdad, Barrett Heggs, Deputy Director General of Health, wrote on 6 January 1936 a letter to the Office International d’Hygiene publique, Boulevaard Saint Germain, regarding the Smallpox outbreak in Sharjah saying:3 1 I.O.R./L.P.&S/12/3843, xp.486−504, P.Z.x161/193x, P.Z.6141/1x36. 2 Ibid., L.P.&S/12/3843, p.398,402,416. 3 Ibid., L.P.&S/12/3835, letter fromMinistry of Interior Public Health Directorate, Baghdad, ‘Irak’. SMALLPOX IN SHARJAH
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