Page 711 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1932

Court. I went up to the Fort before breakfast so got rather late for the court, but Sulman carried on. Looked over all the books
and accounts. Everything seems in order. Motored in the afternoon. Dined with Holmes. Parke was there, we played Bridge.
Holmes came in after tea and talked about oil matters for some time.

Tuesday [12 March]

Didnt attend the Municipal meeting as the Resident arrived on H.M.S. Shoreham, I went out in the Agency launch with the
Khan Bahadur and stayed on board for lunch with the Resident and Startin, who is the commander, who is leaving shortly.
The more I see of the Navy the more it amazes me that anyone can bear to be in it, the boats are so uncomfortable and
cramped. I had a long talk with the Resident about oil matters, he was far less against the oil than when I last saw him, in fact
he seemed quite sympathetic. I stayed till about half past three and then came ashore in the ship's launch, it was beginning to
blow up a bit so we did not go out to tea, though we had been invited but took Mrs D.G. for a drive to one of the gardens where
we walked round and had some coffee. D.G. came round later to call for her. It was very nice in the garden though rather a
dull day and much cooler than it has been lately, looked almost like rain. The Resident had his new under Secretary with him,
a nice young fellow but quite new, has only been abroad a month.

Wednesday 13th April 1932

The Captain was to come ashore to call on the Shaikh who came in from Sakhrir looking very well and very lively but he was
not well and sent one of his officers; the Resident also came ashore but did not mean to see the Shaikh but the Shaikh heard of
his being here and was naturally rather annoyed and made me write to him to say he would like to see him so he, with me,
called on him at the Customs where he stayed for some time, then the Resident and I with several of the officers went round
the bazaar and looked at pearls and then came round here to the house after which they went back to the ship. In the afternoon
we had our usual party, quite a crowd of people but very bad tennis as it was so windy and a lot of dust blowing. Parke said he
had had a long talk with the P.R. who he said had been very nice and had given him a very good chit. He found that Prior had
never reported to the P.R. that Parke was going to India as Parke had specially asked him to do. Holmes stayed on to dinner
and we talked oil for a long time. He wants a clause in the Concession altering. My object is to get some return from the oil as
soon as possible which will help our revenue, but I think we shall have to wait a long time which is very tiresome.

Thursday 14th [April]

Office, Ali Kanoo came in about a case, sat in my upstairs office as they were having a court down below which makes such a
noise that one cant hear a thing. Wrote a long letter to the Agency about the oil question, a difficult letter to make clear. In the
afternoon we went out to the oil camp with Holmes, it always seems to me to be just the same though Holmes tells one of all
that they are doing. Took a few photos of the camp. Had tea with Skinner and had a long talk with him, he is a very nice
fellow and can explain things very clearly. Motored back in 45 minutes. Dined at the Hakkens, Skinner, Holmes and one of
the drillers were there, an unusually good dinner for them, quite eatable. We got away quite early. Parke came in before we
went, he seemed quite lively.