Page 268 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1927

- I always wonder why. Court in the morning. Sh Abdulla called & we went over to the Agency together & stayed there some
time. Discussed the wakf question & various other things, then came back to the office. Called on the Shaikh in afternoon &
went over the monthly expenses - he very bored when told that he spent too much on anything. The boys & some servants
rode up & down outside the Palace on ponies so whenever he didnt want to answer he lent me his glasses & we watched them
riding. He really is a baby in some ways, so very transparent. The dinner party last month cost Rs 500/- about £40. Seems a
lot! Afterwards played tennis at the Mission. The new pearl dealer was there, looks like a German but is said to be Swiss.
Only had time for one game, but a good one. Mail not yet arrived.

Tuesday 2nd August

A Biladya meeting of great dullness, the Council were far more interested in the affair of the clerk than in doing business. The
Sec acted in his place - very badly. Afterwards called on Yusuf Kanoo who talked solidly for nearly three hours, almost all the
time about his own self. He is really terribly conceited, then, after renumerating his belongings every now & then he picks up
his prayer beads & says in a smug way "but this is how I spend my time". Spence's case going on so Alban didnt attend the
Biladya meeting. A letter was found among the papers of the clerk Khalid bin Feraz from the Editor of El Shoura, an Egyptian
paper, acknowledging receipt of article about Bahrain but saying that it was too violently anti English & so had to be cut down.
That is enough so he is to go back to Kuwait on next boat. He comes from there but was twice kicked out. Called on Sh