Tuesday 24. [24 January 1911] Found Nakshbendi {Ahmed es
Sahibi} (Asad es Sahib) [Arabic characters] at Selim's hotel and the
other old sheikh the Nakib el Ashraf of 6 years ago and the editor of
the Muktabas. Called on Muhammad Pasha 'Azam and saw his son
and daughter. Went to Sami and met there {Ahmed} Pasha Shama'
[Arabic] Photographed Sami. Von W‰chter lunched. Went to the
bank and walked round the S part of the wall to the Bab esh Sharki. At
6 Nahleh Mutran Pasha called to persuade me of the excellence of
the Committee. No other party with a settled programme; essential
that the Com. shd look after the next elections; when a reasonable
House established it will dissolve and become a Parliamentary party.
In Beyrout [Beyrouth (Beirut)] it was most useful especially in
preventing massacre in 1909. Dined with Selim. His views about the
Con. tally with mine. He says it was particularly bad in Beyrout where
it attempted to make the Lebanon come in and give up its privileges.
He says it is absurd to talk of the abolition of Turkish in the primary
schools. The govt. language must be Turkish. Mutran also says that
his brother's project of Arab autocracy is wild. He assures me that
Mahmud Shevket is devoted to the Com.