"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٥‎٣‎٤] (١٧٨٢/١٦٨٩)

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Protection
of British
steamers on
the Tigris,
1883.
Attempt by
the Turkish
Goverment
to prevent
British
navigation
on the
Tigris, 1883.
without fxpress sanction from the Turkish authorities. On the
Of the Company it was contended that no exception had been takeHn
I he past to the towing of native boats by British steamers, when
required, and that there was no difference in principle between the
towing of native boats and the towing of barges ; that the ri K ht to ra „
steamers .mphed the right to use steamers in any way that steamers
could be employed, which included the towing of barges; and, 6n a llv
that barges were towed by the steamers of the Turkish flotilla. The
upshot of the discussion seems to have been that in 1831 the use
of barges by the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Co,
permitted, but only for so long as a scarcity then existing in Meso-
potamia should continue.
During the negotiations the historical and legal basis of the British
navigation rights m Mesopotamia was thoroughly examined by Mr
Plowden the British Resident at Baghdad, who placed his conoiasions
on recni< in a lucid and able despatch. It was pointed out bv Mr.
ow -n that, in addition to local permissions and grants of various sorts,
there existed in Article 22 of the Capitulations of 1661 between Britain
an,, i urkey, confirmed by the Commercial Treaty of 1861, a general
warrant for free British navigation in all Turkish waters.
1-1 Apri' 1888, in consequence of disorders which then prevailed
neai -^'"arah, Turkish military guards were again
supplied to the British liver steamers, on which they travelled as deck
passengers.
In May 1883 the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Co. wished
to add a new vessel, the " Meji.lieh," to their fleet; hut the Wali of Bao-h-
dad asserted, in correspondence with the British Resident, that the Com-
pany were entitled to possess two vessels only, and that, when they found
. nece^ary to replace one of their ships, it must be by a ship of the same
16 ejniieb, it may be observed, was supposed to be a larger
steamer than any yet employed by the Company ; but, though her
beam exceeded that of the ■'Blosse Lynch ' by « feet in order to ^
a shallower dranght, her length was less bv 10 feet and her tonnage by
nninsTfi I "i ' ; ' e0t ' On t0 S ' Zeh "'" g thus ' ll ' s I" ,s ' ,d nf ' fundamenfallv
unjustified and unreasonable as it appeared, the Wali under orders from
tarn ' 17 the arSame " t that ' u " d - of ^eir
tJ • f ^ oncession > the Company had not the right to navigate the
Tigris at all, but only the Euphrates; and on the Uth June 1883 he
Mes"" Y L req " h " f C0,Onel Tweedie ' the ,,riti8h K^ident, to prevent
Messrs. Lynch s steamers from entering the Tigris. The Reside*