"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الجزء II. ج. ج. لوريمر. ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎٤‎٤‎٤] (١٢٦٢/٩٦١)

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and it hovered during the greater part of its existence upon the verge
of dissolution. In 1869-70 the Turkish line made overtures, in spite of
their notorious short comings^ for obtaining the contract, held by the
British Company since the 1st of July 1863, for the carriage of the
British mails; but their proposals were rejected on practical considera
tions as well as for political reasons.
1875-83. In 1876 the subsidy of the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Naviga
tion Company was reduced to £3,600 a year, the Company binding
themselves nevertheless to maintain a service of three steamers in the
month. The Company were now extremely desirous of obtaining a
concession to add a third steamer to the two which they already posses
sed upon the Tigris ; and in the contract of 1876 they even undertook
to provide a weekly service at a further reduced subsidy of £2,400 in
case the British Government should succeed in persuading the Porte
to grant the necessary authorisation. In 1878, without any alteration
of the contract or the addition of a third steamer to their flotilla, the
Company established a weekly service Lin both directions between
Baghdad and Basrah which has continued without intermission until
the present day. A third steamer was sent by the Company to Basrah
in 1883; but its use was not, before 1905, permitted by the Turkish
Government except as an occasional substitute for one of the othei
two, and till then it was employed chiefly on the Company's Karun line.
1884-98. In 1884 j a fresh contract for the carriage of the mails was^ granted
to the Euphrates and Tigris Company, and under the new indenture
the Company were expressly relieved of the liability to carry, f ree 0
charge, specie and other valuables sent by post ; the change was
highly advantageous to the Company, especially as the subsidy was
maintained on a somewhat liberal scale, being fixed at Rs. 36^
per annum. In 1894 the contract was again renewed ; but the
rec j g u fticient;
in view of the services performed and of the prosperous condition of
subsidy was reduced to Bs. 24,000, an amount which appeared sue
the Company^s business.
Latest con- In 1905 the mail contract between the Secretary of State for India
tract and and the Euphrates and Tigris Company was renewed for 10 years wi
conditions, effect from the 1st of May 1904, the subsidy being continued at tne
rate of Bs. 24,000 per annum. The principal conditions were that
Company should run a weekly steamer in both directions be wee^
Basrah and Baghdad ; that His Majesty^s mails and Government spec
should be carried free, in consideration of the subsidy ; and that the v
of the line should be placed at the disposal of Government, at a
fixed in the contract, if required at any time for the transport of ro ^
or stores, for towage, or for any other purpose. Provision ^ aS
made for regulating the times of arrival and departure and the p ace ® ^
call of the steamers. Failures to perform the contract were ^
condonable in case they arose from accident, insufficiency o ^ ^
in the low season, or other circumstances over which the Company a
control, or when the strict fulfilment of the contract might be llic0 f^ e .
ble with the reasonable requirements of the Company's ordinary ia ^
but the Company were made liable, in case of delays not excusable nn
these rules, to a penalty of Rs. 15 for every hour lost.