'File 73/7 I (D 19) Status of Kuwait & Baghdad Railway, and Anglo-Turkish negotiations 1911' [212r] (457/631)
The record is made up of 2 volumes (334 folios). It was created in 28 Jan 1911-19 Jan 1912. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
EASTERN DEPARTMENT. |~ April 27- i
SEC RUT SERIES. Sbction 3
[14721] No. 1.
Sir A. Nicolson to Sir Tl. Bahington Smith.
nea'^Tlabmgton Smith, Foreign Office, April 27, 1911.
MANY thanks for your letter of the 13th on the subject of British participation
m the proposed loan for the construction of railways in Turkey, of the construction by
British capital of Turkish ports in the Black Sea and of Anglo-French financial
co-operation in Turkey generally by the fusion of the National Bank with the Bank of
Salonica, and by a subsequent arrangement between the fused banks and the Ottoman
Bank.
As regards the first point, all that I have told Sir E. Cassel has been that, so lono-
as t he J ranco-Russian group (represented by M. de Lamornaix), which has the support
of the Russian Government, occupied the field, we could not support any competing
group desirous of constructing railways in the basin of the Black Sea. If, however, the
present applicants (/'.c., M. de Lamornaix and his group) were to retire we would support
any British syndicate which came to an understanding with the Russian Government
who, as you know, in virtue of their agreement with the Turkish Government, occupy
a privileged position with regard to railway construction in the northern provinces of
Asia Minor supposing that Turkey does not wish to undertake it herself. We have no
desire whatever to interfere with the proceedings of the National Bank, which is free
to^ take what course it pleases to secure participation in the proposed loan, and there
will be no question of our interposing against any transaction of this kind which the
Grand Vizier may decide to effect with the National Bank, but we must remain judges
of whether we can give it our support should that support be requested, taking into
consideration the merits of each case as it arises. This seems to me to be a perfectly
clear and logical position.
As regards the second point, before we give an opinion on the project for the
construction by British capital of the ports of Samsun and Trebizond, we should like
to enquire the views of the Russian Government, as they are naturally interested from
a strategic point of view in the question of Turkish ports in the Black Sea as we are
interested in the question of ports in the Persian Gnlf, and we should not like to support
any project in the Black Sea region which they would consider disadvantageous to their
interests. If the National Bank sees no objection we could make such enquiries,
but for us to act without enquiry would invite similar independent action by Russia in
the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
.
As regards the third point, we have over and over again expressed our desire to
see Anglo-French financial co -operation in Turkey an accomplished fact, and all reports
to the contrary arc quite unfounded. It was only quite recently, as you know, that we
telegraphed again to Sir G. Lowther on the subject.
Yours sincerely,
A. NICOLSON.
[1969 dd—3]
I
About this item
- Content
The volume contains correspondence, memorandums, and newspaper cuttings relating to a proposed Baghdad to Basra railway, an extension of the German Berlin to Baghdad Railway. Much of the correspondence has been forwarded to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. by the Foreign Department of the Government of India and is between Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Francis Bertie, British Ambassador to France, Louis Mallet, Assistant Under-secretary of State for Near and Middle Eastern Affairs, Charles Marling, British Ambassador to Persia, Arthur Nicolson, Permanent Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Henry Babington Smith, President of the National Bank of Turkey, Gerard Lowther, British Ambassador to Constantinople, Rifaat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Edgar Speyer, railway financier, George Buchanan, British Ambassador to Russia, Edward Goschen, British Ambassador to Berlin, Henry Cumberbatch, British Consul General in Turkey, George Barclay, British Minister to Persia, the Board of Trade, and William Graham Greene, Permanent Secretary to the Board of Admiralty. There is also correspondence between Percy Cox, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. at Bushire, Rear-Admiral Edmond Slade, Stuart Knox, 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. at Bahrain, and William Shakespear, 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. at Kuwait.
The volume covers the discussions prior to formal negotiations between Britain and the Ottoman Turks brought about by the Baghdad Railway and its proposed extension to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . The issues and subjects involved are:
- the proposed route of the railway;
- control and ownership of the section between Baghdad and Basra;
- location of the terminus, and who will control it, including Slade's report (ff. 64-74) on the suitability of Basra;
- a proposed increase to customs duty in the region;
- irrigation of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers;
- the contract to transport rail materials by the rivers;
- the status of Kuwait, particularly regarding Turkish and British suzerainty and influence.
Throughout the volume there are newspaper cuttings from English periodicals that relate to the Baghdad Railway and negotiations around it.
Folio 47 is a rough sketch map of the peninsula Ras Tanurah. Folio 230 is a fold-out map of the proposed route of the railway and irrigation of the rivers.
- Extent and format
- 2 volumes (334 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged chronologically. At the beginning (folios 2-5) is a subject index. It is in no particular order and organised under a few broad headings. The numbers refer to folio numbers of the secondary, earlier sequence.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The file consists of two volumes (parts one and two) and the foliation runs through both. The main foliation sequence commences at the title page of part one and terminates at the fifth folio from the back of part two; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and can be predominantly found in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. A second foliation sequence runs between ff. 8-291A; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence. There are the following irregularities: 7 and 7A; 13 and 13A; 15 and 15A; 16, 16A and 16B; 17 and 17A; 18, 18A and 18B; 20, 20A and 20B; 21, 21A and 21B; 52, 52A, 52B, 52C; 53, 53A, 53B and 53C; 54, 54A, 54B and 54C; 55, 55A and 55B; 56, 56A and 56B; 57 and 57A; 290 and 290A.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/610
- Title
- 'File 73/7 I (D 19) Status of Kuwait & Baghdad Railway, and Anglo-Turkish negotiations 1911'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:iii-v, 1r:6v, 7ar:7av, 7r:12v, 13av, 14v, 15v, 17av, 17r, 19r:19v, 22r:37r, 38r:46v, 48r:50v, 58r:74v, 75v:84v, 87v:93v, 94v:96r, 97r:147v, iv-r:vi-v, back-i, front-a, back-a, spine-a, edge-a, head-a, tail-a, front-a-i, vii-r:ix-v, 148r:229v, 231r:289v, 291v:294v, x-r:xiii-v, back-a-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence