TALE OF A CITY 72 imperialist, Hugh Weightman, wrote a letter dated 8 August 1938 to the British Air Force Commander in the Gulf expressing his views on this issue. He said that there had been a plan developed in 1934 in relation to Sharjah, by which defensive channels could be established, and the idea to use them in times of tension had been welcomed. That plan was in need of revisiting and expanded to incorporate military purposes especially should the need arise to use Sharjah as a base for the operations of the Royal Air Force or naval forces at the mouth of the Gulf.7 When the British wanted to propose such to Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al-Qasimi, they sent H.M.S. Fowey to Sharjah. On 1 September 1938, its Commander came down to meet Sheikh Sultan and after the meeting, he reported to the British General Commander in the Gulf, saying: “ I returned the Shaikh’s call during the forenoon, finding him friendly but uncommunicative and apparently interested in the doings of the outside world.”8 “ Sharjah Fort is situated in flat Open desert one and half miles inland from Sharjah town. The Fort itself provides accommodation. for Imperial Airway’s Offices and employees working in connection with the landing ground and Dibai alighting area. It also acts as a Rest House for crews and passengers of aircraft. It includes a W/T and D/F Station, the offices of which are inside the Fort, but the Masts outside, the D/F masts being some 500 yards distant. Outside the Fort there is a barbed wire enclosure into which aircraft can be brought for protection at night. Just inside this enclosure and some 50 yards outside the Fort is a R.A.F. Bomb Store. The Fort itself is built in the form in of a rectangle with two loopholed towers at the opposite corners. These loopholes have been constructed the wrong way round and would be a danger to use as they would tend to collect bullets. They have also been made very conspicuous with stone heads stuck on the skyline above each loophole. Water The water supply for the Fort is carried daily by donkeys from wells two miles away. There is, however, a salty well with a condenser plant in the Fort which can produce up to about 200 gallons daily for use in emergency. 7 Ibid., L.P.&S/12/3935, P.Z.5728/1938, pp.26−29. 8 Ibid., L.P.&S/12/3843, p.63.
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