Page 1082 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1080

1935

head. He is in difficulties as a relation of the Kadi Sh Abdulla has filed a ... against him for about
Rs20,000 & if it is proved it will bust him. Sh Ald & a bunch of flags on it & there was quite a nice
wooden archway opposite the door on to the road & more flags on that. Inside it had all been painted &
the pillars were not decorated at all, they looked much better plain. Behind the platform we had the red
& white silk flag all along but instead of being tight it hung in folds & so looked better, & in the centre
the throne with red canopy above it. The dias seats on platform had temporary covers of the same stuff as
the canopy which looked neater & matched more than the cushions on the chairs. The show went off
quite well, but there were too many empty seats. I had counted on gate crashers but as every person had
to produce their invitations there were no gate crashers. There were the usual speeches. Cole read his
one quite well but Abdu R... of the Agency was entirely inaudible. The nather read the Shaikh's (?)
speech very well indeed in English as well as Arabic. I regretted the PR not being there & only 4 sailors
as only one sloop was in. I think it all went off well but it seemed rather patchy, coffee took so very long
& tea afterwards - the Shaikh looked as far as I could see terribly bored. He did not pin on the medals but