'22/16 Mr Philby's Mission to Najd - 1918.' [‎95r] (189/538)

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was not here except for oil of which I was sending you a case and
that I feared methylated was quite unobtainable - later, May 6th,
I wrote again sending some msthylated and saying that T thought
the kit must have been left in Najd etc.
The ot.^er kit was overlooked by the men who went down to
cat it because it had been placed in a separate and practically
disused godown where there were only old packing oases and when it
was put in no one of the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. Staff was,✓as far as i could
discover, present or told about it, while all the kit was supposed
to be in the one place. Under the circumstances the omission to
look in this particular godown is perfectly understandable, though
that is naturally no comfort to you. The things we„refound
because Kelly, the Assistant Surgeon, passing along the road saw
that a window appeared to have been tampered with and reported to
me when I had the place broken open. The next day I wrote to you
about it, and the yakhdans etc. were handed to Nafisi but the first
caravan for Hajd did not start till June 16th and Hafisi has con
sistently maintained, and I think with reason, that it is not safe
nowadays to send boxes etc. through except by caravan even if
accompanied by three or four men.
I am extremely sorry for all the hardship and inconvenience
to which you have been put, but had the kit been handed over to a
responsible person this could never have happened and, though the
circumstances were exthemely aggravating for you.I cannot but
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consider' terms of your letter are unjustified.
The further kit for which you have asked is being sent with
-Shaikh Ahmad bin Jabir - I asked Shaikh Salim if he could not send
it on with a small party at once but, although now very ready to
do anything for us, he said it was not safe and advised waiting
for Shaikh Ahmad. . /
To
Yours sincerely,
Captain.,
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. ., Kuwait.
yl
H.St.J. Philby., Ssquire., C.I.a., I.C.S.
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