January–June 1936

9 Plutarch Street Athens, 16 April 1936.

Dear George,

we reached Piraeus yesterday at noon after a fairly rough passage, especially in the wide sea east of Rhodes where the Samothrace found it unpleasant last October. Geo. has told you how close was our connection at Larnaca. It was very fortunate that we had telephoned from Limassol. The passengers were Hamilton, the architect who has been in charge of construction of Government House, and the wife and son (aet.9) of Mr Abbot, Judge of the District Court at Nicosia. Among the passengers were Hamilton, the architect who has been in charge of construction of Government House, and the wife and son (aet.9) of Mr [handwritten: Abbot], Judge of the District Court at Nicosia. Like a fool I left the drawings on which I had been working in my cabin on the Egitto and observed that they were missing only at 7 o'clock last evening. Thereupon, failing to get the Lloyd of fice at Piraeus. I tried telephoning Mr Davaris and by great good luck found Niketa, who went at once and recovered the drawings. I me him at D's office, gave him your two letters, and we came back to Athens together. He is looking very much better than when I last saw him.

I am this morning working on tracings of plans of the land to be expropriated, showing the area we should prefer (estimated value £1X5X2X£184) and the other what would content us (estimated £121). I very much hope, and somewhat expect, that the Court will take into account the price Hassan paid last summer and not allow him the full estimated value of his part of the land we take. If they let him have only about 100 percent profit the above estimates would be about £157 and £109 respectively, but I suppose we shall best count on the higher figures.

Can you see that the owners of lots 59 (Raif and Safvet Mehmed Karaman, and 55 (Hussein Ali Hussein Pasha) and our friend Oxous' sheepfold) and 53 Oxous' sheepfold) and 55) are informed by Chr to or Geo (better Christo for 59 and 55) that these properties will not be included in the expropriation?

I am sending this letter by today's regular post for which the bag is closed in half an hour. Please expect also a longer letter with enclosures which I intend to send down to the ship Thraki, the first of the new Greek line to sail for Cyprus. Our man will give the second letter to the Capt. or the purser. If you don't receive it by the next mail after this, you might inquire about it of the agent of the Greek Line (a Mr. Lanitis - not the big merchant - whom Geo can find for you) and if necessary have Geo telephone to the agency at Larnaca or Famagusta, at whichever the Thraki can be reached. I hope, however, that you will have none of this bother.

Good luck! both to excavation/reconstruction and to painting.