Baghdad Aug 16 Dearest Father. It's dawn of Monday morning. I've got to go to a prize giving at the Latin Church at 7.30 and I'll put in the hour before I need dress in writing to you. Sunday is generally letter day but I was very busy yesterday getting ahead with a precis of the revolutionary movement which AT [Wilson] has asked me to write. It's a very difficult business to write history at such close quarters and it's complicated by the fact that one is so often interrupted in the morning at the office that there's seldom a good clear hour. Afternoons are better but I don't find it possible in this weather to work after dinner. I'm usually too sleepy. I don't often dine out but I had a charming dinner party last week with Col. Slater and the Bowmans and on Friday I gave a dinner party to which Col. Slater and the Bowmans came and also Mrs Pulley - shipwrecked here because Hillah [Hillah, Al] is in a state of siege - and Col. Burnet, Sybil's husband. The last named is very nice indeed. He is Wing Commander of the Mesopotamian Air force. On Sat. after tea I went swimming with the Bruce Hays and others (Col B.H. is in the Intell. Dept. and I like both him and his wife). We swam at a delightful place up river half way to Kadhimain [(Al Kazimiyah)] where the palm gardens come right down to a sandy beach. And yesterday the Tods gave their Sunday swimming party which is always the nicest event of the week. There were a whole lot of us on their big launch, Sir Edgar, , Capt. Clayton, Rishan and of course all the children. By the time we had finished and dressed again the sun had set and it was a little less terrifically hot - besides we still felt fresh and cool from having been so long in the river. So we eat a very cheerful supper on the launch coming home and got in about 9. The other novel event of the week was a farewell tea party given by the Arab Staff of the Education Dept to the Bowmans. The magnates of the town were well represented and the entertainment was most cordial. The Bowmans left for Egypt yesterday - as much regretted by their Arab as by their English colleagues. Personally I shall miss them dreadfully. And now I'll tell you about the revolution. The committee of ex-deputies co-opted at the beginning of the week a number of people among whom were 4 of the leading extremists. On Wed. these 4 all refused the invitation and at the same time the police gave warning that there was to be a monster meeting in the big mosque in New St next day, after which a procession through the town was to be organized. It would undoubtedly have led to disturbances and that was indeed the object desired. For the extremists have seen the ground cut under their feet by the formation of a moderate constitutional party round the committee of ex-deputies and they have no card left but an appeal to the mob. The police were therefore ordered to arrest the 4 leaders. I think they must have bungled[?] the matter for they only got one, and he the least important - "Too much of an ass even to escape" says the town contemptuously. The others, one of whom was old Yusuf Suwaidi, got away to Kadhimain and are now, I hear, in Najaf [Najaf, An]. Orders were then issued forbidding the holding of meetings in mosques, together with a curfew - no one to be out in the streets after 10 pm. The combined effect has been excellent as far as Baghdad is concerned. The town has returned to its normal life and I think there is scarcely anyone who doesn't breathe a sigh of relief. Most of them asked why it wasn't done sooner but I think that AT has behaved with great wisdom in the matter. He has waited until it was clear that if the agitation was allowed to continue the town would be given over to rioters - most of them who attended the mosque meetings were riff raff of the worst sort - and then he has struck for the protection of public security. And everyone knows that it isn't an attempt on his part to suppress Arab nationalist sentiment. Meantime the revolution outside goes on de plus Belle. It's true that we have reoccupied the Barrage, which is a great thing, because we are now in command of the water and can dispose of it as we like. The Hillah [Hillah, Al] railway is being blockhoused and communications by rail will be restored this week. On the other hand the line has been cut about Ba'qubah and the town looted. It seems that that was the result of a most regrettable muddle. There were plenty of troops but they were under orders to entrain for Baghdad and when a mere handful of tribesmen came into the town and began disturbances the O.C. refused to come to the help of the civil authorities on the ground that his orders were other. As soon as the tribesmen began to loot the bazaar all the roughs joined in and I gather they have made a fine mess of Ba'qubah. Our 3 political officers got off, but they have lost everything they have in the world and 3 servants, Indian and Armenian, were killed. The movement doesn't seem to be spreading. They sent up a good battalion yesterday and we expect to get the town in hand today. But blunders of this kind make a most unfortunate impression. The worst news is that Col. Leachman has been ambushed and killed on his way from Baghdad to Ramadi [Ramadi, Ar]. He was holding the whole Euphrates up to 'Anah single handed by means of the tribes, troops having all been withdrawn, and we don't know what will happen in those regions. Not that it very much matters what happens there. But Col. L. is a real loss. The hour is up - I must go and dress. Monday evening. I've heard the Leachman story today from my most trusted 'Aqaili - this is what he had heard and I expect it's true. Col. L. stopped at the tents of the Shaikh of the Zoba on his way to Fallujah [Fallujah, Al] and abused him in very violent terms for not preserving the peace of the road. He always used extremely unmeasured language to Arabs and Sh. Dhari had many grudges against him. Added to which Dhari is a mis-stitched vindictive man. Col. L. left his tents alone and Dhari's slaves ambushed him. He was a wild soldier of fortune but a very gallant officer and his name was known all over Arabia. I enclose for your amusement a note from AT which he sent in to my office yesterday. I told him I though it was the most singular investiture I had ever heard of but much to my taste and at any rate I had got a good laugh out of it which as a thing few investees enjoy. I also send you 2 sets of our stamps up to Rs 2. If you want the rest of the series (which goes up to Rs 10, I think) you shall have it. Posts are likely to be irregular owing to the fact that we only have the Tigris L. of C. I've got your letter of July 7 and also the field glass for which a thousand thanks. Will you repay yourself out of my cheque book, you now having my power of attorney. Mme Sevian thanks you for the trouble you've taken about the carpet and is going to write to Sarre. I think the S.K. [South Kensington] authorities are probably wrong, but who knows? On the other hand I don't suppose the Berlin museum is a purchaser of carpets at present. I've a warm invitation from Blanche but of course I can't go. The Lord knows what's going to happen here - the best suggestion I can make is that now Faisal is in England Sir Percy should crown him King of Mesopotamia in Westminster Abbey (if it hasn't tumbled down) and then come back hand in hand with him. And upon my soul it wouldn't seem any more improbable than all the rest of the things that are happening. I don't see S. Talib as King however and I fancy he has some doubts about it himself though he held the following conversation with Mr Tod the other day: "What's needed in this administration" said he "is experience. I've got it. A doctor before he learns his trade will kill at least 200 people. I've killed my 200 - no one knows it better than yourself." And Mr Tod couldn't honestly say he hadn't. Oh my dear, isn't it all mad! But I'm still sane enough to be your very loving daughter Gertrude