Page 767 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

rather like Barrett, the Arabs will describe him as "barid" meaning literaly "cold" as he shows little interest
in things & is in speech & appearance very colourless. He looks for precedents in everything & seems very
nervous of doing anything that has not been done before. I am sure he will always be very loath to act on
his own initiative. We lunched with Major Holmes & later on drove out to the oil camp for tea & dinner
with the Skinners where we had some very good Bridge. It was warmer as the shamaal had died down a
bit. The Agency have not begun the Friday At Homes yet.

Saturday [3rd December]

My typewriter is out of order which is annoying. Court in the morning, things seem a little better as I notice
that more people are paying up the debts which they owe. Took the dogs & drove out to the Portuguese
Fort and then called at the Customs & found Mrs D.G. at home, he having gone out to the boat with Ham &
the doctor.

Sunday [4 December]

Court, went across to the Agency to see the speech which Loch composed. It was dull but suitable and
consisted entirely of the subjects I had suggested, slightly padded out. Heard news that the Persians have
cancelled the Agreement of the Anglo Persian Oil Company. This is very exciting and if true is very serious,
there is 40 million English pounds in it of which 6 million is owned by the Government so I dont suppose
they will get away with it as easily as they might. If anything happens to Abadan the oil in Bahrain will
become of great value & importance. Had some tennis in the afternoon, Russell Ham & Holmes (Dr) &
some very good games, the Russells came to tea afterwards but we had not enough for Bridge as they had
to go early. Later the de Greniers came round and we discussed the oil news which is most exciting. The
Persians in the bazaar are saying that all the English in Abadan were forcibly ejected and the place taken
over by Persians only.

Monday 5th December

The Resident arrived in the morning. There was the usual show, I went out with the Shaikh to call on him
on the sloop, HMS Shoreham. It was a sticky visit, Loch seemed very nervous and hardly spoke at all and
the Shaikh was very bored, then we went ashore with salutes and the Resident landed on the pier and
inspected the Guard of Honour, fifty men from my new Police. They looked very smart too, then a
procession down the pier to the Meglis above the Police Office where they called on the Shaikh. There was
as usual a great crowd kept back by the naturs who looked very smart with their swords & daggars, then
the Resident went off to the Agency & the official programme of the day was completed. In the afternoon
we went up to the Palace and arranged the seating for the Durbar and saw that it was all properly arranged.
It looked very nice indeed with red curtains behind the platform. Afterwards we went for a little drive and
then to tea with Holmes who was furiously angry over the business of the Persian Govt & APOC, though it is
likely to benefit his oil company here.