Page 1193 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1191
1940

Fort. Have two squads of police on parade and a third one nearly ready for parade. Office. HH caame round
& stayed about an hour. Discussed Qattar, Athlone visit & approved of Sh Abdulla going to Oxford. Drove
down the bazaar with him in his new Chrysler given him by King Ibn Saoud. A nice car.

Thornburg came to lunch, discussed the question of the new Manager's house and also some trouble out at
the Jebel which is being caused by the Indians.

Took the agricultural expert out to Budeya & showed him my garden there. Barley is growing very well
indeed & he said potatoes were doing well & would do better if they were manured.

Holmes came over in the evening & we discussed the new hospital & arrangements.

Wednesday 9th March

Fort. Shs Abdulla & Sulman came & stayed a long time. Discussed some news from Qattar, that if we press
them for another two months they will be glad to agree to anything we want, discussed the Athlone visit, the
Shaikhs are very upset & disturbed at the idea of having no show or official reception. Touched on the
matter of my assistant.

Tennis in the afternoon & then to Bridge, not many people as they were acting a play at the Jebel & many
people taking part in it. News on wireless last night of finding oil on mainland. We hear oil has been got in
Kuwait also. Mrs DG decided to go home at once as relations ill at home.

Aeroplanes from Basra doing night flying. Very low & they never asked permission.

Thursday 10th March

Very busy day in office. Fort. Went out to Sakhrir with Weightman & discussed Athlone visit and also the
question of my assistant. Mentioned the man at Muscat as a possible, Shaikhs were not enthusiastic but
agreed.

Went to movies, taking Holmes. Poor film.