Page 537 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Tuesday March 25th

Went round to the Power House in the morning with Jordan. Most of the engine is in now and it looks very
impressive. I know absolutely nothing about it myself but I suppose it is alright. There is another English
engineer doing only the putting up of the engines, quite a decent young fellow from the north of England.
Later on Parke and de Grenier suddenly arrived at my office very agitated and angry as D.G. had had an affair
with the Amir of Manama who had apparently been extremly rude to him and called him various names. It
was about some matter of passport fees. They were for going out to the Shaikh at once and complaining but
I persuaded them not to and wrote a report of the matter to the Shaikh. The Amir is a useless and very
conceited fellow and has been getting a bit above himself lately. Motored out with Mohamed Khalil in the
afternoon and looked at various work which is being done. The sea road to Muharrak is getting on quite
well. I am not at all sure that it is wise to have begun it but the Shaikh is keener on it than on anything else
and all the people want it done too. Played Bridge at the Fort with Parke, Mrs Pam again made the fourth.
We won heavily. Parke is always rather snappy if he loses. He takes the keenest interest in money.

Wednesday [26 March]

Went down to the Court to see the Shaikh, he was late and Prior had arrived first. Stayed there some time.
The Shaikh seems always to think that if I have no court I have plenty of time to waste. He talked about the
affair of the Amir and D.G. and left it entirely to me to deal with, so easy for him, but he is the proper person
to deal with things of that kind. Discussed Shaikh Mohamed's outrageous demands for land, the Shaikh was
really very annoyed at it. He told me to write to Kanoo and say that he would sell the piece of sea between
the Customs and Kanoo's new shops for thirty thousand rupees. He has a most strange idea of the value of
anything that belongs to him himself, it is not worth half the amount at present. I wish I could see their faces
when they hear how much we are asking. Got back very late for breakfast and then went down the town
with Jordan and marked all the lamp posts that are to have lamps on them, quite a long job driving round all
the streets in the town. The Abdel Latifs of Budeya are bothering us for a loan, they never pay on time and I
am having a most tiresome time trying to make some arrangement. Drove in the afternoon and then Barden
and Walker came in and we had some Bridge. They are a pleasant couple to play with as they both play quite
well and dont get annoyed if they lose like others here do.

Thursday [27 March]

Shaikh Abdulla called in the morning and discussed to affair of de Grenier and the Amir. Various other
people came in. The Syrian and Iraqui papers are full of articles about the two dismissed school masters,
they put all the blame on the Political Agent, as it is better copy to libel him than an Arab Government. We
composed a reply to be published in the two leading papers of these countries. Articles are appearing in
Persian papers as well though I cant see what it has to do with Persia. We are certainly lucky to have got rid
of them.