Page 373 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1928

the afternoon & stayed a long time, a queer little red haired Scotsman with hideous projecting false teeth - an ugly little
man but very knowledgeable.
Abdulla was at the Agency in the morning & talked very sensibly about affairs in Nejd. He thinks, as I
do, that if there was real news from there we should have heard much more about it. Went to the garden in the
afternoon - rather blown about. Very cold stormy weather, rough seas & bitter north wind. Barrett has been having a
lot of fever lately.

The Engineer is to advise us about practibility of installing electric light in Manama.

Tuesday 28th [February]

Sh Abdulla called, very interested about affairs on the mainland. He has sent a personal follower over to Nejd to spy
out the land & see whether there really are any signs of Bin Saoud losing his hold over the tribes. Went out in the town
with Stevenson & walked all over the streets where lights are needed. He was apalled at the narrowness of the bazaars
& says the town is not planned for electric light! Of course it is not! He kept on comparing it to Bombay & Calcutta!
Seemed very despondent at times especially in the main bazaar. Looked in at Customs. Tea & Bridge with Holmes,
excellent tea & good Bridge. Stayed on to dinner, also de Grenier, & played more Bridge after dinner.

Wednesday 29th [February]

Stevenson & I worked at the map & the electric scheme in my office most of the morning & then went round the
Persian quarter which pleased him more than the market & middle of the town. Went down to the customs & called on
de Grenier, who now wears complete Arab dress. Ali bin Hussein came in & we decided to have a special meeting
about electric scheme tomorrow night. We are getting a lot done about it. Bitterly cold day & violent shamaal
blowing. Walked down the bazaar & then went to Bridge at the Parkes, took Stevenson. S is what they call "country
bred" has never been in England, born & lived always in India but is quite English & not chi chi. He is amusing at
times but rather boring, so very full of the Indian electricity act & wishes us to adopt it here.

Thursday 1st March

Went over to Agency with Stevenson & had a talk to Barrett about electric light. Koseibi was there. People to tea &
Bridge. Meeting at Biladya in the evening about electric at 9 pm after dinner. The Shaikh & Abdulla attended & all
the Manama merchants. Quite a good meeting, they all seemed very keen & quite excited at the idea of shares, they
put their names down for R 15,000 worth. Arranged that for the present it will be Manama & in future Muharrak.

M went to Mrs Parkes while we were at the meeting. Barrett did not attend being still unwell. Really a
successful meeting.

Friday 2nd March