"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الجزء II. ج. ج. لوريمر. ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎٤‎٦‎١] (١٢٦٢/٩٧٨)

2461
The scheme for the establishment of regular British Indian post Original ao-
offioes at Basrah and Baghdad received, in 1868, the cordial support of ^TTn^ish
Sir A. Kemball ; Political Resident in Turkish. ^Iraq. Its execution was Government
facilitated by the non-existence of a Turkish postal service^ and by the in the
consequent absence of political opposition on the part of the Turks ; and arrange-
the mail boxes and bags were landed, without objection or interference ^ggg 8 '
on the part of the Turkish customs officials, at the Vice-Consulate at
Basrah and at the Kesidency at Baghdad. On the 25th of January
1868, Sir A. Kemball informed the Wali of Baghdad of the new
arrangements and promised that the public correspondence of certain
Turkish Government departments and officials should be carried free by
the British post between Baghdad, Basrah and even Bombay, on condi
tion that the official covers should be franked with the seal of the
despatching department and should not contain private letters. These
conditions were accepted both by the Wali and by the Indian Post Office,
and the understanding, presumably, still holds good ; but the Turkish
Departments do not now exercise the privilege accorded to them.
For some time after 1868 Indian postage stamps were sold on board
the steamers of the Euphrates and Tigris Company, and letters were
delivered by the steamers at Qurnah, 'Amarah, ^ Ali-al-Gharbi and Kut-al-
Amarah, as well as at other places where they touched. Stamped letters
were also received on board the steamers for delivery at, or despatch
through, Baghdad and Basrah.
Various postal agencies and lines were maintained or established in Service at
connection with the two British Indian post offices in Turkish Iraq. ^ e
A regular delivery of letters was undertaken in the town of Baghdad, and an ^
letters for Kadhimain were kept in deposit until fetched by the 0 ^j ier pi HCeg
addressees. * 3 " n Turkish
f t j* 1 q a £
Letters from India for Karbala, where a number of Indian Muham-
madans are settled, were at first sent monthly from Baghdad to the care
of the Honorary Native Political Agent at Karbala, who arranged for
their distribution; under this arrangement, which seems to have begun
about 1866, the mail was carried by two messengers, who were enter
tained from the Oudh Bequest Fund for the purpose of maintaining official
communication. In 1878 the Karbala mail was made weekly; but
afterwards the service became irregular, and letters were sent out only ^ as
opportunities occurred; and in 1887/at the request of the Turkish
authorities the Residency ceased to forward private letters to Karbala.
While dealing with the subject of Karbala, we may mention that
after May 1894 correspondence received from abroad for Karbala r Najaf,
Musal and other places in Turkish ■'Iraq was, for a time, transferred for
distribution to the Turkish Post Office and that correspondence from
those places for abroad has since then been received from the Turkish Post
Office for transmission under Union rules ; but in 1898, in consequence
of several registered letters for Karbala having been tampered with xn the
Turkish post, arrangements were made for the retention of registered
letters for Karbala and Najaf m the Indian post office at Baghdad until
the addressees could appoint agents to take delivery at Baghdad. At the
present time lists of the registered letters received at Baghdad are sent
unofficially to the British V ice-Consul at Karbala in order that the