Page 796 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Saturday 8th [July]

Court. Motored. A dinner party at the de Greniers - pretty awful, Lock & Gastrell were there and the former very
bored. Played vingt et un which bores me.

Sunday 9th [July]

Court. The sloop, Shoreham, with the new Senior Naval Officer P. 9, Captain Creagh, was expected but didnt arrive till
late at night. Motored in afternoon, Bridge at the D Gs.

Monday 10th [July]

Shaikh & Abdulla, Sulman & Mohammed came in in the morning & we went to call on the ship. They stayed some
time in the office first and the Shaikh talked very violently about Ali bin Hussein, Secretary of Manama municipality,
saying that he drinks and implying that his accounts were not right of the work he has been doing with Sh Hamed's
property. We had rather a row about it as the Shaikh was very silly and unreasonable on the subject. I got extremely
annoyed as he said he never saw the accounts which I send to him, then he said he saw them but could not
understand them. We left rather late to call on the ship. Lock & Gastrell were out there, I did all the interpreting &
found it rather a bore as the SNO seemed bad at making conversation. Then we came back to the palace & the SNO
& Lock returned the Shaikh's call, then I went back to the office. Ham came to see me & we discussed trade &
finances, the bazaar is flooded with cheap Japanese goods which have quite pushed out all the English stuff, a great
pity. A mix up over football match. I arranged for a match between sailors & Br Nationals but Sh Mohammed begged
me to change it for Khalifah team so I did. Went to see Lock in afternoon about a letter he wrote to the Shaikh about
Khalifah lands. Motored along Rafaa road & in evening dined at the palace. SNO, one naval officer, Lock & Gastrell &
I were the party. A good dinner very well cooked. The Shaikh moved in to the Palace from his country house at
Sakhrir, rather a bore as it is so near that he constantly pops in to see me or sends for me.

Tuesday 11th [July]

The SNO had asked Shaikh to lunch but he got off by saying he never ate at midday - European lunches really bore
him but instead we went out to the ship, informally, & he quite enjoyed it as they let him do some shooting with a
machine gun and fire off rockets & Very Lights. The SNO is quite nice, Irish, Captain Creagh, very red face & looks as if
he drinks - but doesnt. Then came back & M & I went out to lunch with the Captain, one other officer was there, we
enjoyed it & it was quite cool & a nice change, then we came back & went out again, later to a tea & cocktail party
taking James & Nannie. All the English & Americans were there, it was awfully nice, very cool on deck & a change