Page 801 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

The Shaikhs came to the office in the morning with a letter which Mohammed had composed about the question of
Khalifah lands, a long silly letter but Mohammed seemed extremely proud of it when he read it aloud. Some talk
about old Lady Ayesha's complaints about the Shaikh moving the vegetable market which damages her property.
Holmes look in & gossiped a bit saying that D G had come to see him & talked a lot about the taxi stand, she went
next day to call on Mrs Russell & had violent hysterics there. Went to the Customs to take over from D G & stayed
most of the morning in his office - he did not mention the taxi stand. Saw Chisholm for a few minutes who said his
company were definitely prepared to take an interest in the additional area. Tennis party here as usual. Most of the
American Mission, Dr & Mrs Dame & Mrs Van Peussem have gone off to the mainland called by King Ibn Saoud to
attend a favourite wife. They have quite calmly shut down all medical work here so that Bahrain can just look after
itself! They find it pays more to get the King's people as patients!

Thursday 27th [July]

Very foggy sandy day. Aeroplanes late. Khalifah bin Hamed came to see me about his pay & when he said that the
Govt had so much money I fairly let him have it & he retired hurriedly from the office threatening to go to England &
complain!! These royal relations are awful, they do nothing & yet between them they take 60% of the revenue and
then ask for more. Hudson came to see me again. Went to see Abdel Rahman Zayani to look at a pearl for a ring for
M's birthday. The pearl market is not as bad as it was. Nice cool day. In afternoon went with Abdulla bin Jabr to see
a place he suggests as nice for bathing, which we shall keep secret, it is a nice strip of sand on the shore between two
gardens. Sat there a long time, the people, tenants of the Shaikh, brought us lots of fruit, dates, peaches,
pomegranates etc etc & coffee. The worst of it is that the sea is shallow for swimming except at high tide.

Friday 28th [July]

Went round the bazaar in morning and saw the new vegetable market and various other places of the Shaikh's
property some of which I arranged to be repaired, then painted. Cool breeze. The de Grenier's left last night, or early
morning, by air. Agency tennis. A long wire from Colonial Office about oil matters. Hudson came round in the
morning.

Saturday 29th [July]

Went up to the Agency and had a long talk with Gastrell about oil, then went to the Palace and discussed it with the
Shaikh, we got Sulman to come too as he grasps things more quickly than the Shaikh. The Shaikh was terribly dense.
The British Govt have, apparently, ticked off Holmes very severely and ask the Shaikh to say he is still open to offers.
We kept the Shaikh from his morning sleep so he got very bored and it was difficult to make him attend. The C O are