TALE OF A CITY 84 followed by the complete crush of Britain. I did not believe that any one would venture to speak against the British government unless he was backed up by some responsible person. Therefore I made very careful and secret enquiries as towho is really responsible for this anti-Britishpropaganda. The result of these enquiries revealed that Abdallah bin Faris, the secretary of the Shaikh of Sharjah had been at the bottomof all these. In order to throw ash intomy eyes Abdallah bin Faris always praises the British government in my presence and also before pro-British and persons who are likely to convey the information to me. he acts behind the curtain by inducting ordinary people under his influence to spread rumours about the successes of the Germans and the defeat of the British government. He attends the Majlis of Shaikh Saif bin Muhammed al-Madfa’,Qadhi of Sharjah (he is leaving for Riyadh viaBahrain for a visit toH.M. king Bin Sa’ud which is usual for him to do every year) and there spread the rumours among ordinary and innocent persons who happened to be present who in turn repeat what they hear when they go out. Abdallah bin Faris appears to be convinced that British government are going to be defeated. I heard from reliable persons that he had been telling the Shaikh and members of the family that they will soon get rid of the British government. During the last three days the following sentences were chalked on few walls in the town :»Long Live Hitler «and «Right is with Germany «. These have been the subject of talks and speculation. the people are waiting to see what action would be taking against Sharjah in view of these activities. when the Shaikh called on me today as usual, I reminded him of my talk with him if you days ago the activities office secretary and the writing on the walls I told him that as a friend of the British government his attitude has been very good towards HMG and that I had no doubt that everything which displease the British government would be displeasing to him. that I made to thorough enquiries about the recent rumours and discovered that they were due to his secretary whose habit was to create the trouble for the Shaikh always with his neighbours, the government, his notables, brothers and even the Shaikh’s family. As a Shaikh, I said he should not hear this ill-advice or allow other mischief makers to misguide him. The Shaikh spoke very nicely about the friendship existing between him and the British government and said that he prayed for the defeat of Germany and the success of the British government the fact which he openly declares in every majlis that he didn’t expect his secretary to do everything against the British government. That he would not allow visitors to attend his majlis until after the German Arabic broadcast and Would make enquiries about the writings on the walls and punish the offenders if discovered even if they were his brother. I thanked the Shaikh for his kind
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