Page 1871 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1868

1945

Fort. Cold but not as bad as yesterday. Court, the down mail brought Dr Van der Muilin the Dutch Minister
in S. Arabia who stayed with us as Hick was away. A pleasant man & most interesting, distinguished
looking with a gray beard & wears an astrakan cap. Several quite interesting cases in court, smuggling &
cases against food control. Left court rather early. In afternoon took the Minister out for a drive round
objects of interest & then had the annual meeting of the Golf Club which was slightly better attended than
usual. Later the Van Peussems came to dinner. M still laid up, on the sofa, not allowed to walk with an
absyess on her leg. Edward to tea. A bad accident last night at the RAF nurses quarters, the Levy officer fell
over a low wall at top of the stairs & fractured his skull. Hick at Qattar so quite a peaceful feeling in the air.

400 goats & sheep died owing to the weather.

James began Latin lessons.

Tuesday 30th January

Fort. HH came in as usual, discussed Hick's visit to Qattar & I told him a bit of what Hick had said about the
conditions there - annoying to think that Bahrain piece goods are sold openly in the bazaar. After Sh A had
left HH said that if they moved the guard from the Fort he would be satisfied but could not admit this as such
an admission would be like accepting the Qatar shaikh's right to build the fort. He was in quite a good frame