Baghdad Nov 3 [sic] [i.e. December] Dearest Father. I have just come back from having tea with the King and he has kept me such a long time that I shall have to bustle with my letters. H.M. has just been away at his farm and was very full of chat about it. When we had discussed that and the political situation generally, the voice of the Muezzin was heard on the terrace. My little spaniel, Peter (whom you don't know because he is only 5 months old) jumped up to join with interest in the evening prayer, and I thought the time had come when I might jump up too, and go home to my letters. But not at all; H.M. said he would just go and pray and would I wait because there was something else he wanted to talk about. Fortunately Muhammadan prayers don't take long; the time to smoke a cigarette. It turned out that what he wanted to talk of was no less than the economice situation of 'Iraq. You see, with our share of the Ottoman Debt now upon us, I don't see how it's possible to balance the budget. H.M.'s scheme is to go to the British Govt and say that if it would guarantee the payment of the debt by a loan to the amount due for a period of years, the 'Iraq Govt would respond by (a) giving us assurance of stability by according long contracts to British advisers and officials and (b) by complying with our request that the working of Mosul [Mawsil, Al] oil should be given to the international Turkish Petroleum Co., thus showing that they were making a real step forward in developing their own resources. These two points are the most crucial now under discussion and I really believe that H.M.G. would agree to a loan if they were conceded. Again, concession on the part of the 'Iraq Govt could be justified to the extremists as dictated by supreme economic needs. So I'm in favour of this course and advised H.M. to lay it before the High Commissioner, though indeed it makes me laugh to think that I should be giving advice of any kind on the subject of 'Iraq finance. I've given a good deal lately, what with Mr Amery and all.
I forgot to say that after lunch, while I was sitting in my garden, there rolled up an old party called Savage. He was an American, adviser or ex-adviser, to the U.S.A. on the subject of irrigation engineering and he had just been the guest of the Australian and Indian Govts! As he shook hands with me on the garden path, he observed: "I greet the first citizen of 'Iraq." Gratifying, wasn't it. He then proceeded to talk as ceaselessly as Americans do, but I got a word or two in edgeways. Finally he said that J.M. [Wilson] (who had sent him to me) had told him I was going to see the King and might he come and present his respects! I was going on my way to a Library Committee so I took him there (it was conducted in Arabic which must have left him cold) and then on to H.M. who received him very graciously and gave him tea, after which he left.

A comic incident - I wonder who he really is. He was all superlatives: he had the deepest admiration for and confidence in my great nation; he was convinced that the future of the 'Iraq as one of the leading cotton growing countries was assured; he could scarcely believe that he was really having the honour of spending an hour with me, etc, etc.

Well, to begin at the beginning: On Friday afternoon Ken and I went to see Haji Naji who could scarcely contain his joy at the presence of his two most Belloved, dear old thing. It was such a delicious afternoon. We prefaced our visit by a little shooting by the river edge, but we only got one quail which I eat next morning for breakfast. On Saturday, the Loraines being at rather a loose end, I took them down there and we had a pleasant walk through the gardens by the river. The High Commissioner and Esme have gone to Mosul [Mawsil, Al]. I had very cheerful dinner party, Yasin Pasha, Ken and Mr Cooke. On Sunday Lionel came to lunch and we sat in the garden talking till 4. Lionel is the most delightful of people to talk to and we ranged over most subjects, from the bringing up of the young to the Symposium of Plato! J.M., Iltyd and Ken came to dinner to discuss our plans for a Christmas shoot at Babylon.

On Monday - Forget what did, as we used to put in our diaries when we were small. Oh yes, I lunched with the Sinbads and went for a walk with the dogs. And on Tuesday afternoon I took the Loraines to Ctesiphon. I must say she is a dear, and so pretty and attractive. They went off this morning to Basrah [Basrah, Al (Basra)], en route for Muhammarah, to try and patch up matters between the Shaikh and the Persian Prime Minister. But my mind much misgives me that the poor Shaikh has run his last lap.

So that's my week.

I have your letter of Nov 19 and am greatly grieved to learn that you have had a fever but much relieved to hear from Mother that you're well again. Ken, I must tell you, thinks you the most remarkable person he ever met. So you are. Sinderson, not Sanderson by the way. Ever your very affectionate daughter Gertrude

No, there's one thing I forgot to tell you. Sir John Cadman passed through on his way home and I went to lunch to meet him on Saturday. It was a very satisfactory sort of lunch, Ken and I the only guests, so we got a good talk. He is a most intereting man. He is coming to see you - he says he knows you - to tell you he has had the pleasure of meeting me!

I wonder if Dennington could find in my library and send to me Nordmesopotamische Denkmäler by Preusser. It's a large quarto, but I can't remember where it is on my shelves. I should be so grateful if he could find it.