Page 1225 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1223
1223
1940

Fort. Very cold morning. Coldest day this year. Shs S & A came in but I had to go to Agency so they
departed, a very disturbing wire from I.O. re oil matters. Court, heard evidence of people mentioned by Ali
Bin Khalifah. nothing sensational. Got very late. Motored round about in afternoon, fort, sea road, etc.
Very cold day. Dined at camp with the Bells, Dames and Phillips also there. HH had asked me to attend a
dinner for DG to celebrate his 15th Anniversary of arrival but I couldn't go. Two young Bapco men came to
call, dull & stayed long.

Sunday 15th January

Very cold day. Meeting at Agency from 9.30-11 about defence, two men came down from Baghdad to
discuss it - Imperial Defence people. Quite interesting, Weightman, Howes, Coates, Davies, Black, Lipp &
another from Coy present. Discussed available forces etc etc. Shaikhs here till 1pm discussing oil. Sulman
in favour of giving Hawar to DCL - I can't think why. Discussed Davies' last letter with full offer. The I.O.
cable has put a new complexion on the matter. Holloway's engineer has come to look into sea road bridge,
Steele dealt with him. Some trouble brewing among the Baharna about Kadis. M lunched with Ahmed bin
Hamed's wife. Bridge at the Lipps. Had a fire in afternoon.

Monday 16th January

Took Major Price, a gunner, up to Fort in morning, he is a cousin of Hudson Kinnaton & knew John. A
pleasant fellow. Then with Weightman to Sakhrir, all the Shaikhs present. Oil talk. W left & I & the three
Shaikhs drove to Awali & had a long talk with Davies in his office about excluding Hawar. He was very
upset. Then saw Holmes & told him & wanted his offer, he also seemd to be very put out so now everybody
is annoyed, except perhaps HH who does not in the least understand what the position is financially. Had
lunch with Coates, the two Defence men were there, the Coates and ourselves. M went to Fort - I
gardened. Starting a cold.

General meeting Golf Club, at Fort, self in chair, rather a tiresome affair, some are clamouring for a tennis
court. had a hurried dinner & then to a gramaphone concert at Awali, very pleasant programme & well
done. Cold day.